Far Too Many Scars
by JoPoGirlsKickAss
Summary: "It was fear, pure, paralyzing fear, and for the first time in her life, she was terrified; trembling with dread of what the next moment would bring, because he, the strongest man she'd ever known, was now a slumped, hollow, defeated man." -Chapter 11. Please forgive the first few chapters it was started when I was much younger, the writing improves, I promise!
1. Batman would ask the Batclan

**Author: **JoPo

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing, but a few characters I made up.

**Summary:** Set after Destroyer. Batman is in a coma. J'onn decides the only way to save him is to enter his mind. What memories will the JL stumble across? What dark secrets will they discover? Lots of pairings. Warning: Foul Language.

**Note:** This has been updated and edited as of 9/11/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Batman Would Ask the Batclan**

"Watch out Flash!" Green Lantern yelled at the speedster. Flash jumped out of the way barely avoiding a large slap of asphalt that was thrown in his direction.

"That was uncalled for," Flash chided one of the villains.

"Oy! Speedy! Why don't you go back to class, maybe get a life while you're at it," taunted one of the men.

Flash paused momentarily, "I have a life, a cool one too!"

"Hey Flash, I could use a hand over here," Green Lantern called from across the way his attention split between the two men he was holding back and the lady he'd just saved from a nasty fall.

An explosion rocked the ground and filled the air with dust, as it cleared three men could be seen crawling out of a hole in the side of _Then and Now: The Science of the Future. "_We've got 'em," one of the men announced. The others stopped trying to assault the Green Lantern and Flash instead regrouping near their leader.

"Flash, don't let them get away!" GL commanded.

"On it." The red speedster raced forward, but was seconds too late. The men had all vanished with a crackling left hanging in the air. "Shit." Flash muttered to himself.

GL surveyed the damage around them and sighed in frustration. "Watchtower, this is Green Lantern requesting transport for two, and a recon unit to our location," he said into his com-link.

"Roger, recon unit preparing; two coming in," Mr. Terrific answered.

The red and green heroes were beamed onto to Watchtower's main deck where they were met by J'onn. "Status report?"

"Seven heavily armed men possessing super strength, they broke into _T&N, _but we're not sure what they took," GL replied.

J'onn nodded, "If you would, write the report and file it, Flash please assist him," turning to Mr. Terrific he said, "I will relive you for your lunch break for the time being."

"What? It's lunch time? J'onn can we please eat first, then take care of the report? Please? Plee—eease!" Flash begged his hands folded together.

"Very well, but Wally, if it is not in the database by tonight you will have to answer to Batman, not me," J'onn warned.

Flash shrugged, "Yeah, well, Bats is hardly here nowadays so I'm not worried about it." He left the deck heading towards the commissary with GL following behind. "So GL who we gonna sit with today," Flash asked his stoic companion. "Oh, wait you don't sit with me anymore," he drawled with a hint of offense, "you sit with Hawkgirl." The last part was said with a wiggle of his brow.

"Hey Flash?" Green Lantern said.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up," the marine snapped sweeping past the speedster.

Flash failed at holding back his grin as the Ring bearing hero stalked away. Still grinning he proceeded to jump in line and pile his tray high. Collecting the necessary silverware Flash sat down next to one of his good friends, Green Arrow. Flash noted the others sitting at the table: The Question, Hawk, Dove, and B'wana Beast as he began to devour his food.

"There is a social standing, a class order, but this is not a high school," The Question stated.

"Open your eyes Q, this place is exactly like a school, there's class, teachers, lunch, and we even get graded, oh, and there's no pay. If that's not high school then I don't know what I spent four years of my life doing." Green Arrow argued.

Hawk nodded, "He right you know."

"What are we talking about," Flash asked having cleared his tray.

Question sat back. "My incompetent companions believe that through the social standings of heroes cliques have developed within the members of the league," he answered monotonously.

Flash shrugged, "Well, yeah, they both make sense. I mean look-" Flash said waving a hand at each table, "-the ladies of the league," he motioned to the middle of the room where heroines had spread themselves across seven tables, "they break down into the girly girls, the tough girls, etcetera." Motioning to a group of tables surrounded by huge, muscled men the Flash continued, "I guess you could call them the jocks, but know I'm not talking about the stupid kind, god only knows what they'd do to me if word got around that I'd called them dumb. And there-" Flash said pointing to two tables, "-sort of the odd guys out, really bright and colorful bunch. Then you've got the quiet ones, not shy per say, but...well you get my point. Over there the heroes with a brain capacity that makes the rest of look like two year olds. And there you have the blah blah blah and over there blah blah blah. But lastly the founding members, who by all right are the coolest and most awesome," Flash grinned as he finished off his little presentation.

"In your face Question...or mask, whatever," Hawk proclaimed.

Dove smirk, "Admit it Q."

"We've got you Q," Green Arrow said folding his hands behind his head, "And Flash didn't even mention the cliques involving abilities, that breaks it down even more."

The Question folded his arms, "I'd like you to present this argument to Batman and then we'll see who's right or not."

"Pulling out the big guns," B'wana Beast laughed.

"Speaking of the Bat, anyone seen him?" Dove interjected. The other shrugged in response.

Flash shook his head when the other's looked to him, "Nope, Bats has been hiding in his cave for all I know."

"Speak of the devil," Hawk muttered waving towards the doorway. The tables near the door quieted as the dark figured swept past them.

"Obsidian, Atom," the Batman said curtly, "Your presence is needed." The commissary grew quiet as Obsidian and Atom got up and left the room with Gotham's Dark Knight.

Dove and Hawk leaned into the table, "Wonder what they did to get called away by the Batman," Hawk asked in a slight whisper.

Question unfolded his arms and calmly answered the inquiry, "They've done nothing, Batman has been employing their help."

"What?" the table snapped back, each man wide eyed and filled with more questions.

Flash craned his neck to try and catch a glimpse of Batman over the Question's shoulder, "What does he need them for? He never asks for help."

"I don't know what their doing for him, I can't figure it out!" Question snapped dropping his fist to the tabletop.

* * *

(Few Days Later)

"This is farewell dear Knight. Crane take care of him," Deidre commanded, "Be quick about it, when the flame reaches the pile there will be no time." He swept out of the basement leaving Gotham's battered dark hero to fend off her Master of Phobia, Obsessor of Fear.

"Looks like we've beaten you Batman, once and for all," Scarecrow observed, his voice reveling the smirk beneath the mask. Reaching into his pocket the ex-doctor removed a vial and opened it. Scarecrow let the toxic sweep over the Batman's face before throwing a punch into his gut. The Batman inhaled sharply and Scarecrow left with a dry laugh.

Batman coughed hard trying to expel the drug from his lungs, he knew it was too late though. Pulling himself free from the handcuffs he stumbled into the next room to the stairs.

A small cry caught his attention and Batman raced to the source. He hefted a large beam blocking a door and two small children stumbled into him.

"Run!" The little boy screamed at his companion, grabbing her hand and running.

"No, wait!" Batman protested trying not to growl. He reached the two children and swept them up just as a beam collapsed where they'd been running. Turning Batman raced towards the stairs, out of the corner of his eye he saw flames licking the top of one of the propane tanks. Gathering the children he crouched in the corner of the stairwell, "Stay under my cape," he said fiercely, they nodded wide eyed. Wrapping his cape tighter around them Batman attempted to shelter the children with his own body.

* * *

"Sitka—a small town forty three miles outside of Gotham- was evacuated nearly twenty hours ago due to a gas leak in the towns underground system. A team of specialist were recently sent in, they found the entire town in ashes and the evidence of a large explosion originating from St. Christopher's Church, near the center of town. Shrapnel found in the surrounding area has investigators believing someone piled propane and nitroglycerin tanks within one of the Church's lower levels. Two orphans of the town are missing, but there is little that can be done, but to hope they are alright. We are-" the screen went black as J'onn switched off the link.

"I sent Booster Gold, Vibe, and Big Barda to help clear out the larger debris and maintain the crowd," J'onn said.

Flash nodded, "At least no one was hurt. ...So about Batman, what is it he's up to?" The question asked yet another time from the speedster.

"For the hundredth time, We. _Don't_. Know." John growled, his irritation getting harder to hide.

Flash zipped over to the martian from Mars, "J'onn knows, he can read minds."

"All I know is that our friend is investigating a case in Gotham," J'onn answered.

"He'd get the Bat-clan to help him with that," Flash said throwing an arm over J'onn's shoulder, "Not Obsidian and Atom."

"Whatever Batman is doing in Gotham is none of our business," Superman said giving Flash a pointed look.

Shayera stepped forward, "That's all well and good, but that doesn't explain why he employed their help without rescheduling their monitor duties."

"What?" Flash and Superman exclaimed incredulously.

Superman turned to J'onn, "He didn't reschedule their monitor duty?"

J'onn shook his head, "I am afraid not, Shayera and myself had to cover for them."

"Has anyone seen Obsidian or Atom lately?" GL asked.

"Not since Batman came up here requesting their presence," Shayera answered.

Diana entered the mini monitor womb specifically for founding members. "Hey J'onn when you're done here, Stargirl broke her arm and is in the infirmary, other than that the mission went rather well, I've already entered the report too." Diana noticed the other founders, "What is everyone doing in here, is this a meeting I don't know about?"

"Well, let's see, we have seven new super villains running around, Batman asked for help, Batman has a big secret, Sitka was blown to bits, oh and Batman abducted Obsidian and Atom," Flash listed, ticking them off his fingers before flopping into a chair.

"Batman's been up here since I left? And he abducted Obsidian and Atom?" Diana asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, but he did not abduct Obsidian and Atom, he employed their help," Shayera clarified.

Mr. Terrific entered the room, "J'onn you better come look at this, you all might want to come."

The founders followed Mr. Terrific to the monitor bridge where he asked everyone to clear out for a five minute break. Opening a link and a map of Bludhaven, a blinking light moved across the screen moving very quickly out of the city.

"Watchtower?" The voice was similar to Batman's but lighter.

"Nightwing this is J'onn J'onzz," J'onn said into the com.

"Nightwing to Watchtower, I'm looking for Batman," Nightwing said over the unit.

J'onn glanced at the founders before replying, "Batman was last seen on the Watchtower six days ago." The was a static silence on the other end. "Nightwing do you know the whereabouts of Obsidian and Atom?"

"I would think they're at the cave. Alf just called me," Nightwing said dropping the hero formalities, "Batman has been gone for a day, he hasn't had contact with anyone since Tuesday night. Can you met us at the manor?"

"We'll be there shortly," Superman cut in.

"Nightwing out," Bludhaven's hero said signing off.

The founding members changed into their civilian clothes, though Flash did not. J'onn entered Wayne Manor's coordinates and beamed the six of them onto the stoop of the manor. Spinning near light sped Flash changed into his civilian clothes.

Clark opened one of the large oak doors and stepped into the manor the others following. The heroes were met by two large dogs with teeth bared and slobber hanging from their jowls.

"Um...anyone else questioning this?" Wally asked.

"They're just dogs Wally," John said. He took a step forward, but one of the dogs leapt forward snapping at his leg. John jumped back, "What the hell?"

"Pride, Max!" a stern, papery voice cut in. "I do apologize Mr. Stewart, I just received Master Richard's call, otherwise I'd had been here sooner. This will not happen now that they know you though, so do not fret over this event repeating itself."

"Hello Alfred," Clark greeted.

"Mr. Kent," Alfred acknowledged greeting the others.

Wally crouched down and looked at the two dogs, "I didn't think Bats was a dog person."

"They are a breed that have interested Master Bruce since childhood, Bernese Mountain dogs are very affectionate, though when trained well can become dangerous, though I find that their presences calms Master Bruce down."

"Mangy mutts," John muttered. One dog stepped forward hackles raised, it's mouth opened slightly showing its teeth.

"I am preparing lunch, Master Richard will be here shortly, if you would wait in the red lounge until lunch is ready, we can get to business afterwards," Alfred said leaving the heroes in the foyer.

"Alfred where are the-," a woman followed the voice into the foyer, but it stopped short when the woman caught sight of the heroes.

Diana glared at the woman across the way, "What are you doing here?" the venom in her voice clear as day. The two dogs turned to the woman.

"Afraid of a little competition," she asked with a smirk.

The Amazonian Princess raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?" She too a step forward, but Clark placed a hand on her shoulder.

The woman, Selina Kyle, hissed at the dogs as they approached her. Running at the wall she nimbly jumped on a table, reach for a pillar, scampered up it, and leapt for the chandler hissing at the dogs below her. Wally and Shayera laughed out right, while the others attempted to hide their smiles.

Diana let a smirk overtake her features. "Cat got your tongue," she taunted.

"Watch it Princess," Selina hissed.

The dogs lifted their heads high and froze catching everyone's attention, their ears twitched slightly. Clark and Diana heard the bike before the others, but seconds later they could all hear the roar of an engine before it was cut off.

A young man entered the house and surveyed the group before him: Wally and Shayera grinning broadly, Diana's smirk, Selina perched gracefully atop the chandler, and the two large dogs frozen. "Max? Pride?" the dogs looked from young man to Selina.

"Grayson call of the mutts," Selina snapped.

Dick attempted to get the dogs attention away from Catwoman, he said a few words in languages most of the heroes had never heard. After a few choice words Dick shrugged, "Sorry Selina that's all I can come up with."

"Sorry my ass," Selina hissed.

"Can't you just say stop or something?" Wally asked.

Dick shook his head, "I don't know what language Bruce used for that command."

"He uses a different language for each command," said a new voice.

"Tim! Babs, how have you guys been?" Dick asked looking at his brother and sister as they entered the foyer.

"A different language for _each _command," Wally asked incredulously.

"I bit much, we know," Barbra said wheeling farther into the foyer.

"Tuli," a new voice commanded sharply. The dogs unfroze and charged Dick forcing him to the ground where they licked all of his exposed skin.

Dick laughed and scratched the dogs, "Last time I saw you guys you fit inside my shoes," Dick said to the dogs.

"So what did that mean," Wally asked Cassandra when she entered the foyer.

"Relax," and to Dick she said, "Swahili."

"Swahili, I should have known. It's good to see you Cass, you look good, how's life," Dick asked standing and brushing himself off.

"If you kept in touch you'd know," Cass said harshly.

"She's just upset because we can't find Bruce," Barbra said, her face falling.

"Will find him," Dick said cheerily. He watched as everyone's face fell, filling with concern.

"Sirs and Madams if you will fallow me, lunch is ready, Miss Kyle if you will please join us down here," Alfred said pausing at the doorway before disappearing the way he'd come.

After a rather solemn, but delicious lunch the group entered the Batcave where they found Obsidian and the Atom in their civilian clothing working at the large bank of computers and extensive lab.

Clark stepped forward and was the first to speak, "What have you been doing with Batman?"

The Atom, Ray without his mask, looked up from his lab work, "He's had Lucius and myself analyzing a combination of gaseous toxins that he'd discovered recently."

"I've been on the streets gathering information for him, slipping through the slums digging up anything I can," Todd, known to the League as Obsidian, answered not taking his eyes off the computer screen before him.

J'onn approached the lab Ray was working at and examined the vials and paperwork before him, "What have you discovered about these toxins?"

"Well I've been focusing on four of them. Three are very similar except each one is more potent that the other, the fourth: M4032, however is an organic toxin, it goes through six stages of metamorphosis before the process is repeated. The metamorphosis is causing a chemical reaction with the moisture in the cave creating a very acidic gas that kill all the bugs in a three foot radius, the air is very dry too. I've linked many of its basic properties with a few of Scarecrow's commonly used toxins, but he's had help with this, not only does he not have access to these kind of chemicals, but it far exceeds his expertise." Ray explained showing the martian figures on one of the lab's computers.

"This wouldn't be too much of a problem, but because we don't now anything about the true maker we have know way of developing a cure. For now we've placed it in a sealed double capsule within a vacuumed vault," Lucius Fox finished for Ray, stepping into the main cave from a secondary cavern.

Wally raced to Ray's side, "So what does it do?"

Ray sighed and rubbed his face, "From what we've seen of the test victims when it first enters your system your fine, at least for a few hours, but once it reaches equilibrium withing your body a great sense of anxiety sets in and one begins to fear everything, after that it evolves and induces a coma like state, once the victim is at that point the toxin attacks the mind and for lack of a better word, it eats it."

Wally was wide eyed and looked rather stunned, "Whoa..."

"The test victims, what happened to them?" Shayera asked.

"The earlier test victims became mindless zombies, the ones that this strain was tested on all died," Lucius replied taking a seat at a long metal table near the lab area.

The long silence following was broken by Diana, "To the subject at hand, where was Bruce when he was last heard from?"

"I'm afraid we do not know," Alfred said seating himself next to Lucius.

"We've back tracked and trailed the regular route a hundred times, but nothing has come up," Barbra added.

The others joined Alfred and Lucius at the table, they watched as Cass went to the super computer and shifted through a number of maps and intel files. Cass' fingers froze over the keyborad for a moment before resting on the sooth surface that served as a desk. "I think I know where he is." Cass was met by a chorus of 'wheres.' Looking at the research he's been doing I believe he he was headed for Sitka, following a lead," Cass paused, "He must have know it was a trap, it was evacuated before he got there," she finished more to herself than the others.

Tim joined Cass at the computer, "How do you figure that?"

"It was evacuated at 4:23am, but two attempted robberies were stopped here in Gotham at 4:31am," Cass explained.

"What does that te-" Wally was cut short by a beeping emitting from the supercomputer.

Tim punched a few keys and opened a file, "0001-SVER45; Sitka," Tim read, "Its from the Watchtower."

"What does it mean," John asked.

"J'onn?" Clark questioned turning to the martian, the others waited quietly.

J'onn's yellow eyes glowed momentarily, "We are needed in Sitka. Now."

"What is it J'onn," Diana asked, voicing the question that was on everyones mind.

J'onn shook his head slightly, "John, Shayera I will need you on the Watchtower. Diana, Wally, Clark and I will go to Sitka, if the rest of you would stay here, I'll inform you of the situation when more is known."

No one said a word against the authoritative Martian.

* * *

"All superheroes to the main deck," Mr. Terrific said, his voice booming through the Watchtower over the intercom.

Within minutes most of the heroes on board had filed onto the main deck and were talking amongst themselves, a few demanding to know what the gathering was for. Black Canary, Green Arrow, Steel and Dr. Fate all stood on the third deck with Shayera, John, and Mr. Terrific looking down at the heroes below.

After a few stragglers shuffled in Shayera addressed the group, "Quiet!" The deck hushed and Shayera continued, "Mr. Terrific will be explaining what the alert code was about."

"Was that the number thing-y earlier," A hero shouted in question.

Shayera stepped forward and glared down at the heroes, clearly irritated with the muttering that was growing louder, "Would you lot like my mace up your—"

"Alright, _jeshh_," the hero called.

"This is the alert code we received," Mr. Terrific said motioning toward one of the giant windows which now had a projection of the main monitor on it reading '0001-SVER45.'

"What does it mean," a hero asked.

"Had you read the enchiridion you would know," Mr. Terrific said.

"Come on who _did_ read that," someone called out gaining a few chuckles from other heroes.

"What's a enchiridion?" another asked.

"I know the fist part is Superman's ID," a hero said. There was a scattering of murmured agreement.

"So this is about Superman," some asked.

"No," Mr. Terrific answered. "It is the ID number for a founding member, but when this was received all the founding members were accounted for, all except Batman," Mr. Terrific stated flatly, he was growing frustrated with the continual questioning.

"Who cares? He's not part of the league."

Shayera adjusted her grip on her mace, "He is a founding member," she snapped.

"Yeah, sure he is." The sarcasm was thick.

"Hey I thought Superman was number 1."

Mr. Terrific plowed through and shouted over the din, "SVER45 means severely IJ."

"Wait," the feminen voice quieted the room and the speaker was identified as Zatanna, "A 'severely IJ' code was sent pertaining to Batman?"

"Correct. Superman, J'onn, Wonder Woman, and the Flash have already been transported to the place in question," Mr. Terrific stated.

"What does that mean," someone yelled loudly.

Zatanna spoke before Mr. Terrific, "It means that Batman has been injured."

"And with Batman out of commission the apocalypse can only be days away," Blue Beetle added seriously, his voice grave.

"Why would Earth be in danger?"

"Think about it," Blue Beetle paused for a minute to let the other heroes think.

Quiet a few heroes began mumbling worriedly to each other.

"This means—"

Zatanna was cut shot by the comlink. "Mr. Terrific tell the infirmary to prepare for immediate operation; gather all magical heroes and ask them to wait in conference room D for further instruction," J'onn's voice echoed in the din.

* * *

The Javelin touched down and the heroes exited to find a blackened mess that was indistinguishable. The heroes walked in silence staring at the town that once was, they could not believe the entire thing was gone, flattened like it had never been there, the only evidence being the mounds of rubble. The place was covered in a light grey fluff that was still falling from the sky, a substance like snow, but what the heroes knew to be ash.

They made their way to the center of town where large groups of people were working together to move rubble around and had began the process of cleaning up, something that seem likely to take months.

"Excuse us," J'onn said to the nearest crowd of people who stood doing nothing useful.

A man turned about to tell him to back off, but stopped when he saw the green martian backed by Wonder Woman, Superman, and the Flash. "Uh..okay." Others around heard the Martian's request and created an aisle.

"Forget this," Wonder Woman said flying over the crowd and landing in front of a huge pile of rubble.

"He has one of them," a woman close to hysterics yelled.

Flash stopped next to his fellow heroes, "Who has what?"

"A child, there," J'onn said pointing to Booster Gold who'd emerged from a hole in the rubble carrying a small child.

Flash sped over to Booster and took the boy rushing him to the waiting medical team, then back to the others followed by Booster, "What is going on," he asked.

Before Booster Gold could answer, Vibe and Big Barda emerged from the same small entrance and approached a group of law enforcement. "We can't get her out the rubble collapsed and even if we dug her out she would climb up, shes refused so far."

"Barda," Superman said alerting the heroine to his and the other's presence.

"Superman," Barda nodded turning to him.

"There is a girl deep below, she could have gotten out, but the rubble collapsed making it impossible to reach her, and she refuses to leave—to leave Batman," J'onn concluded removing his hands from his temples.

Superman scanned the earth below him and found a little girl and her companion. "Vibe lead us down there, we'll dig them out," Superman commanded striding forward.

"It get's really cramped down here," Vibe warned as he lead them to a small opening in the pile. The heroes followed him in silence for a few minutes before they emerged into a cave just tall enough to stand in. "Here we are, he's there," Vibe nodded, pointing to crisscrossing beams and large stones that reveled a tiny opening, "the only reason we found him is because Skeets heard the children sobbing."

Superman stepped forward ready to begin tearing a hole into the ground beneath him, but J'onn placed a hand on his shoulder, "I know you wish to get him out, but we must be cautious of the child, we may injure her, proceed carefully."

Superman gave a short nod before lifting a large concert block out of his way. "Flash, Wonder Woman please clear this out."

"On it Supes!" Flash answered speeding around gathering small bits of rubble and dashing off with it by the armload. Wonder Woman hoisted six large blacked beams onto her shoulder, "J'onn watch him," she said nodding to Superman. J'onn nodded and observed the Man of Steel as he hefted beams and chucks of stone like they were twigs and pebbles.

The heroes continued to clear the cave for ten minutes before Superman was able to see anything. "Hello," he called into the small shaft like hole.

"I'm not coming out," came a tiny voice.

J'onn and Superman exchanged looks, "Please come out, we're here to help, we need to make sure you're safe."

"No," came the faint, but defiant response.

"You may be hurt," Superman said halfheartedly.

"I'm not."

Superman sighed, "You could have breathed in something dangerous-"

"No. I'm not leaving him. He stayed with us, I'm staying with him," the small voice argued.

Superman stood, "J'onn see if you can get Wonder Woman and Flash down here."

J'onn nodded and searched for his companion. _Diana?_

_Yes?_

_Would you please help Superman and I, bring Flash with you too. _

_Is everything alright?_

_Yes, though we've reached the girl she refuses to climb up, Superman cannot convince her and I fear to __enter her mind, it seems very fragile. _

_We're on our way._

Flash zoomed into the cave seconds later, "Is Bats down there, have you gotten him out?"

"No, we must get the girl out first before we continue, else she be hurt," J'onn explained.

Wonder Woman ducked into the cave, "Where is the girl?"

"Down there," Superman said pointing to a small shaft formed by crisscrossing beams and crumbled stone.

"Hello," Wonder Woman called softly looking down the dark shaft.

"I'm not leaving," the girl's voice said floating up to the heroes.

Wonder Woman sat back, staring at the hole, "What is your name little one?"

"Amanda, everyone calls me Mandy," the girl answered.

Wonder Woman nodded her head slightly, "Mark would like to see you Mandy."

"Mark left me alone, I don't want to see him," Mandy responded, there was a pause and them more quietly, "I'm not going to leave him, he save me and Mark."

"Mandy, Batman is a great friend of mine and I know he would be very impressed with what you're doing, but he wouldn't want you to risk your life for him. He wouldn't want you to stay down there when he protected you from everything else." Wonder Woman reasoned, choosing her words carefully.

There was a long pause, followed by the sound of movement, the crunch of stone beneath small feet, "Okay, I'll come up."

"Good, thats good, and don't worry, Batman will be alright," Wonder Woman assured.

The heroes listened as Mandy began the struggle of climbing up the long rubble shaft. "Do you really think he'll be okay? He was very nice before he fell asleep," Mandy asked, her voice floating up to the heroes. The stunned heroes tried to shake off their shock. "I can't go any further." Mandy called.

Pushing thoughts of Batman falling asleep to the back of her mind, Wonder Woman lay down and reached her hand down the shaft and groped for the girl's hand. Wrapping her hand around Mandy's arm, Wonder Woman pulled the girl up the rest of the way and set her on the ground. Mandy's clothes were stained a dark red and were still damp, she was also covered in dirt.

Wonder Woman pulled her hand away from Mandy's darkened clothes and saw blood smeared across her fingers and palm.

"Flash take her to the medics and get her food and a blanket," Superman ordered.

Before Flash could move Mandy stepped toward's Wonder Woman and wrapped her arms around her leg, clamping down. "No. I'm going to stay here and wait for him," Mandy said.

"You need food and warmth, and you're bleeding," Superman said taking a step forward.

Mandy hid behind Wonder Woman's leg, peeking around her thigh, "No I'm not, this was already down there."

"You need food," Superman repeated.

Mandy shook her head, "He gave us food and his cape kept us warm, he even had water."

Wonder Woman knelt down in front of Mandy and brushed her face off, "You can stay here with me little one, I won't make you leave."

"Okay," Mandy said sliding her hand into Wonder Woman's.

Superman nodded to Wonder Woman and turned on the hole. He dove in and began throwing beams and pieces of concert like he was digging through sand. Minutes after he'd started he stopped having finally reached his friend. As he pulled the last beam away he saw a large piece of the beam sticking out of the right side of Batman's lower back. When he had put the beam down he directed one of the lights onto Batman's still form and they all saw the pool of blood reflect the light. The whole left shoulder and arm of the Kevlar had been ripped from the suit, the rest of the suit was full of holes exposing cuts and gashes that were turning green and yellow with rot.

Wonder Woman pulled Mandy into her, the little girl was crying. Flash was frozen, he had never seen anything so hideous and the fact that it was a lifeless-looking Batman scared him more than a Batman full of life. All Superman could do was stare in shock at the state of his best friend. J'onn was the first to act, calling the watchtower, "Mr. Terrific tell the infirmary to prepare for immediate operation; gather all magical heroes and ask them to wait in conference room D for further instruction." Then to Superman, "We need to get him out of here immediately."

_**To Be Continued…..**_

**Note: **This is my first Justice League fic. I love Batman and I've had this story on my mind forever, so here it is. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please review, constructive criticisms always welcomed.

This has been updated and edited since the original version was posted.

**-JoPo**


	2. I Should Be the One Comforting You

**Author: **JoPo

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening: **Batman was just found covered in blood.

**Note: **This has been updated and edited as of 9/18/11

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: I Should Be the One Comforting You**

When the Javelin landed in the main hanger a medical team ran forward as Wonder Woman emerge with Batman in her arms a gurney prepped for the injured hero. Laying Batman on the gurney the medical team attempted to keep their shock hidden, but failed. Wonder Woman began pushing the gurney ignoring the medical team, "Flash run ahead and clear the halls, and make sure the medical bay is ready," she commanded not bothering to slow for the medical team running behind her.

Wonder Woman and the others reached the medical bay and moved Batman to an operating table where J'onn began giving out instructions to the doctors around him. The other founding members stood to the side trying to stay out of the way.

"Diana if you would please remove his cowl, Superman, Green Lantern, Shayera, Flash, may I ask you to leave," J'onn asked his tone commanding.

Superman nodded, "Of course," the Man of Steel tried to hid the tremor in his voice but everyone heard it.

Wonder Woman approached Batman slowly, she wasn't worried about removing the cowl, she knew do that without getting hurt; she was hesitant because she could not believe that the 'World's Greatest Detective' was hurt, and hurt so badly. Diana placed her hands on either side of the cowl and began to trace seams adding pressure and pulling at small latches, finally hearing a click. Diana's thoughts were pulled to Star Wars when Luke removed his father's helmet; she pulled off the cowl revealing a gorgeous god like face. Unkempt black hair feel over the front of his face, Diana pushed it back and ran her hand trough the rest of it; it was thick, luscious, and soft. She lightly dragged her fingers over his closed eyelids; she knew if his eyes were open they would be a mix between cobalt and sapphire portraying no emotions. Her hand drifted over his nose and checks, smooth like silk and perfect, not disfigured in anyway. Her hand stopped at his lips, she traced a finger around them, soft and pink; taunting her in every way; what she would give to kiss him, really kiss him. She pulled her hand away before she did something she would regret, or rather something Batman wouldn't approve of. Taking one last look at the handsome face of Bruce Wayne she placed a wet towel over his eyes and forehead.

Diana knew she was getting to him, before the disappearance of Darkseid and Luthor he had pushed her away, but she was pulling his wall down brick by brick.

"Diana," J'onn said.

"I know," Diana sighed defeatedly no seeing the Martian's sympathetic nod. Exiting the room she stood by the window with the others, watching as J'onn and the doctors carefully pulled the Kevlar off Batman. What lay beneath was horrific, not only were there open, rotting wounds that he had when they found him, but hundreds of other scars, all the scars Batman had gotten for watching over Gotham. The heroes turned away, heading for their rooms, each needing time alone to collect themselves.

Two hours passed and the Watchtower was alive as it ever was, all the heroes unaware of J'onn following a line of bloody and exhausted doctors out of an operation room. The doctor's cleaned up and nodded as J'onn passed them heading to the entrance of the medical bay. As he mad his way to the fifth level he called the other founders and met them in one of the lounges on that floor.

When J'onn entered the lounge he sat himself down at the small table in the corner with the others.

"How is he," Wonder Woman asked, breaking the silence.

"Not good," J'onn answered truthfully.

The founders were so lost in thought they took no notice of the other heroes in the lounge eyeing them warily as they muttered quietly to one another.

* * *

As Green Arrow followed behind Black Canary, Huntress, and Wildcat, heading for the elevator he spotted a handful of heroes in the medical bay looking through a window. He would have kept walking if not for the fact that Zatanna was crying into B'wana Beast's shoulder and Orion of all people was attempting to comfort a crying Gypsy and Dr. Light. Blue Devil, Mr. Miracle, and the Creeper were looking through the window eyes wide.

"What is it, Arrow," Wildcat asked noticing the archer had stopped.

Black Canary paused and walked back to him, "Come on Ollie."

Green Arrow ignored them both and began walking into the medical bay. "Something's going on," he said motioning towards the small group.

When Black Canary and Huntress saw the crying heroines they ran forward. "Light what's wrong," Canary asked rubbing Dr. Light's back.

Huntress put her arm around Gypsy and shared a look with Canary, "What happened G?"

"Thanks," Orion whispered still a little unsettled from the contact.

Huntress and Canary convinced Dr. Light and Gypsy to go to their room and shower before laying down. Afterward they turned to Zatanna and a distraught B'wana Beast, "Zatanna, come on, you look like you need some rest," Canary said laying a hand on Zatanna's shoulder.

"N-no, I—I am not t-tired," Zatanna sobbed.

The Creeper and Mr. Miracle stepped back from the glass, both with looks of pure horror. Mr. Miracle closed his eyes, opened them, and sped off looking sick. The Creeper took a step forward, but tumbled like a drunk and Green Arrow caught his arm, "You okay, Creeper?" The Creeper didn't say anything, but followed Mr. Miracle's lead and stumbled off.

Wildcat stood next to Blue Devil and looked through the window, "Oh shit," it was a low whisper of anxiety.

Green Arrow, Canary, and Huntress joined them. "Fuck..," Huntress gasped he heart practically stopping.

"W-what, how—how?" Canary asked putting her hand over her mouth.

Green Arrow stepped back in shock, shaking his head, not believing what lay on the other side of the glass.

They were all looking in and seeing the bloody body of Batman lying on a medical table. There was a towel over the top half of his face, hiding his identity. Bandages covered small cuts, but the larger ones were all uncovered, each with several small tubes sticking in them pumping a clear liquid in to the open wounds. The liquid was spilling out of the gashes along with green pus; each gash yellow with rot.

* * *

"We need to inform Alfred of what's happened," J'onn said calmly.

"I'll do it, it should be in person," Superman added.

Wonder Woman nodded in agreement, "We should tell them we're coming."

"We should send the heroes to the Metro-tower, clear out the Watchtower," Shayera said.

"I believe you are right," J'onn agreed. "Flash, Green Lantern, Shayera can you clear the Watchtower?" They nodded.

"I think we should keep this whole thing quiet, this circle should stay as small as possible, we don't need anyone to panic," Green Lantern remarked.

"Very well, we will tell everyone that we are having technical difficulties and that we need to temporarily move everyone to the Metro-Tower," J'onn paused, "Shayera; Green Arrow, Wildcat, Huntress, Black Canary, Gypsy, Dr. Light, Orion, Creeper, Blue Devil, Mr. Miracle, B'wana Beast, Zatanna, all know about Batman's condition, you must tell them to keep this information to themselves," he paused again, "I suggest we let Zatanna, Black Canary, and Green Arrow, stay onboard, Zatanna won't leave and Canary can stay with her."

"I'll go talk to them," Shayera nodded leaving the room.

"Flash, Green Lantern," J'onn said.

"On it," GL stood up, Flash following.

Superman, Wonder Woman, and J'onn were left alone. "I will call Alfred," J'onn said.

"And I'll head to the manor," Superman added standing.

"I'm going with you," Wonder Woman stated.

Superman hesitated, "I don't know Diana..."

"Clark, I'm going with you." Wonder Woman snapped. Superman didn't argue. He and Wonder Woman headed to the hanger. Leaving J'onn to call Wayne Manor's Batcave using the private phone line.

"_Good evening," _came the crisp British voice of Alfred.

"Good evening Alfred," J'onn paused, "we've found Bruce." The other end was silent so J'onn continued wishing he didn't have to deliver this news, "He is not doing well, his condition is critical." Still the line was quiet. "Alfred?"

A throat was cleared. _"Understood, thank you,"_ Alfred answered cooly.

"Superman and Wonder Woman are headed your way with the Javelin, the Watchtower is being clear out so you and the others are welcome," J'onn added.

"_Very good sir, but I'm afraid welcome is not the right word for this situation,"_ Alfred replied.

"I am sorry," J'onn said.

"_Do not fret. I will see you shortly, then you can tell me more,"_ Alfred finished hanging up. Though Alfred did well to hide it, J'onn was still able to hear the quiver in the butler's voice.

"J'onn to Superman."

"This is Superman, go," Superman answered.

"You will be treading on cracked glass, choose your words wisely," J'onn cautioned.

"Understood, Superman out."

Quarter of an hour later Clark set the Javelin down just inside the Cave's secret entrance. He and Diana exited the plane to find the Batclan, Selina, Alfred, and Donna waiting for them. Nightwing stepped onto the Javelin wordlessly and sat down, the other following suit.

"Donna?" Diana asked her lookalike.

"Hey," she answered quietly, giving her sister a quick hug before sitting next to Nightwing.

"Ready," Clark asked sitting back down and adjusting his glasses. Alfred nodded. As the ramp was closing, two sharp barks could be heard fallowed by the sound of claws on metal. Max and Pride leapt into the Javelin as the door sealed itself.

* * *

As Wally and John became their civilian selves J'onn felt the Javelin land. "They are here and in a fragile state, especially Nightwing, beware of what you say," J'onn warned.

"Uh-uh," John replied.

"Got it," Shayera sighed while everyone else simply nodded.

Ollie looked from one hero to the next pausing at the speedster, "Wally you're rather pale, when was the last time you ate."

"Lunch," Wally mumbled in response.

"Wally you need to eat," J'onn said.

"I'll get him and Zatanna something to eat," John said standing.

"I'll help you," Shayera muttered, walking out.

Zatanna had stopped crying, but Dinah was sitting next to her still rubbing her back. Ollie sat at a computer staring at the blank screen. J'onn stared out the window at Earth waiting for Batman's family to enter.

"Here you go Wally, four hamburgers," John said reentering with Shayera.

Wally pushed the plate away, "I'm not hungry," he said quietly.

"Wally you need to eat it," J'onn repeated.

"I'm not hungry," Wally shrugged.

"Come on Flash, don't be the 'Dumbest Man on Earth', " John coaxed, holding the plate out to Wally.

"Fine," Wally signed, he reached for a burger and ate it slowly. After finishing the first one he reached for the second one and finished it quickly, then he gobbled the last two, some of the color returning to his face. "Thanks, GL."

"No problem," John smiled glad to see Wally acting more like himself.

"Are you sure," Shayera asked Zatanna setting a sandwich down next to her.

"Yeah, I'm not hungry," Zatanna said.

"Okay," Shayera shrugged nibbling on the sandwich.

The door to the lounge opened with a _swish_ and the Batclan, Alfred, Selina, and Donna walked in fallowed by Clark and Diana. Zatanna looked up and ran to Barbra and burst into to tears. "Hey Z, come on, calm down," Barbra comforted patting Zatanna on the back.

"I-I'm s-sorry, I s-should b-b-be the o-one c-comforting y-you," Zatanna cried, hurriedly wiping her tears.

"Why don't we go see what damage has been done," Alfred suggested.

J'onn nodded, "Very well, follow me," he stood and made his way to the door.

"I-I can't go b-back in t-there," Zatanna sobbed.

"I'll stay here," Wally mumbled slumping down in his chair.

"Me too," Ollie said with a nod.

John and Shayera also stood, "We'll get dinner going."

"I'll help you shortly," Alfred said with a curt nod.

Dinah stayed behind too allowing her thoughts to settle.

Once everyone had left Ollie stood up, "I'm gonna check in with Mr. Terrific."

"I'll go with you," Wally said exiting the room with him.

"This is crazy," Ollie muttered.

"Yeah," Wally sighed.

"I can't believe Bruce is down, I've never seen him like this," Ollie said.

"Yeah," Wally repeated.

"What are we going to do," Ollie asked.

"I don't know," Wally said, "I better talk to Linda and tell her I won't be home tonight."

* * *

J'onn walked ahead of everyone to open the door of the surgical room. "Be warned he is in a terrible state."

"We've heard that," Selina snapped irritably pushing past J'onn and being the first to enter. Selina stopped dead causing Barbra to run into her. "Oh, Bruce," she whispered. Barbra wheeled closer and as she read the blinking monitors she began to cry. Tim was the next to enter; he paled the moment his eyes laid on the occupant of the bed, he stumbled back into the wall. Alfred was next, he hid his emotions well, but his eyes gave him away, "Oh dear, what have you done Bruce?" the informality Alfred used was completely ignored.

Dick and Cass entered the room, Dick froze like Selina, not moving a muscle. Cass slowly walked over to the bed, when she reach it she grabbed Bruce's hand, "Heal well." She let a few tear slide down her cheeks. Cass was the one who hardly knew Bruce, compared to the others, but she was the one who sat beside him and holding his hand encouraging his recovery.

Max and Pride walked in, upon catching Bruce's sent they troted over to the bed and laid their heads on the mattress, Max licked Bruce's face and Pride whined, they could tell he was in great pain and they watched the others in silence.

Clark and Diana follow after everyone. Diana looked over the grieving family and let her own tears flow for Bruce and his family; she went over to Barbra and rested a hand on her shoulder squeezing lightly. Clark stood still looking for words. Donna saw everything from outside the room, from the window, and she ran back to the lounge when she saw Bruce, she couldn't handle it.

"He has inhaled Crane's new toxin, he has lost a lot of blood, and most of his wounds are rotting as you can see; we have to finish cleaning them before we can stitch them, they have been rotting for over 24 hours. After I stitch the wounds we can examine him and the toxin more closely," J'onn explained.

"Once we breakdown the toxin everything will be-" Clark stopped mid sentence, his eye wide.

"Say it," Dick demanded quietly.

"What," Clark asked feigning innocence.

"Say it. Finish your sentence," Dick snarled, his voice growing in volume.

Clark swallowed, he hadn't meant to say what he had and he didn't want to repeat it so he stalled. "Uh..?"

"Say it now," Dick commanded.

"I can't," Clark sighed hanging his head.

"Then I will," Dick hissed coldly.

"No, please don't, I didn't mean to," Clark pleaded, color draining from his face..

"Everything will _not_ be okay," Dick growled. "It won't be and you know it, maybe you should think before you open your mouth."

"I'm sorry, it just slipped," Clark apologized weakly.

Dick burst, that was it, that's all he needed, "It Just Slipped? That's How This Happened," Dick shouted waving a hand at Bruce, "Bruce will not be _fine,_ just look at him, he has _never_ been this bad. And even if he does survive this what then?"

"Master Dick, please," Alfred said sternly.

"No I Won't... I Won't. This is all _his_ fault; His And Bruce's," Dick yelled at Clark, "He Could Have Been There For Him, Bruce Could Have Asked For Help!" Dick was glaring at Clark murderously and panting.

"He's right," Clark nodded, "I'm sorry."

"Master Dick This Is No More Clark's Fault Than It Is Ours," Alfred shouted. Everything became deathly quiet, Alfred had never shouted, ever. In a low, calmer voice he continued, "If anything it is more our fault." Dick collapsed against the wall, burying his face into his arms, his shoulders heaving. Alfred sat down next to him and placed an arm around him, comforting him.

Tim, who no one was paying attention to, had turned green. He drew everyone's attention when he ran towards a small basin and hurled into it. After a few moments he fell against the floor, white as a sheet. Diana stood up and scooped Tim up in her arms, "He need's some rest," she muttered heading for the private quarters of the founding members.

Clark fallowed her out.

_Where are you going_, J'onn asked telepathically.

_Home, I need to rest and to see Lois_, Clark replied.

_Dick didn't mean what he said, it's not your fault this happened_, J'onn thought back. Clark didn't respond, he kept going, and upon reach the teleporters, transported himself home to Metropolis.

A voice pulled J'onn's thoughts from his big hearted companion.

"I'm going back to Gotham, I'll have Todd help me patrol," Cass said in a hoarse voice releasing Bruce's hand for first time since she entered the room, "Gotham still needs to be patrolled."

"I'll call the Titans and let them know they need to cover for Tim; I'll call The Nest too, tell them I won't be in for awhile," Barbra added.

"You're right, I'll patrol Bludhaven," Dick nodded standing up.

Alfred pocketed a handkerchief he'd lent to Dick, "I'll help with dinner."

"Alfred may I help," Selina asked quietly.

"Of course Miss Kyle," Alfred nodded holding his arm out as an escort would.

"Alfred please, it's Selina," she whispered taking his arm.

Pride and Max whined.

"I'm very sorry, I have forgotten to feed you, let us fix that," Alfred said walking out of the room with Selina and the dogs following.

Cass and Dick were the last ones to leave the medical room. "Get well, you're the father I never had and always wanted," Cass whispered before turning the light out and closing the door. Dick who had heard her, felt terrible, this was just as hard on Cass as it was everyone else, he put and arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. Their looks of sorrow and pain mirrored each other.

* * *

As Ollie and Wally were walking back to the lounge they heard shiffiling. "Who is that," Ollie asked pausing to listen.

"I don't know, I doesn't sound like Dinah, Z, or Shayera," Wally said walking down the hallway where the sound was coming from; Ollie followed.

When they reach the other end of the hallway Ollie stopped, "It's coming from the hallway, but there's no one there."

Wally walked back the way they'd come. He stopped in the middle of the hallway and pressed his ear to the wall. "Hey Ollie! It's coming from the wall."

"What are you talking about," Ollie asked walking back to Wally.

"Listen," Wally said pressing his ear to the wall again. Ollie placed his ear against the wall, when he heard the crying get louder he knocked on the wall and fell into a room as the wall slid away, he landed with a flop onto the floor.

The crying stopped, "Who are you," came a small voice.

"Wally and Ollie," Ollie said, "who are you."

The voice giggled, "That rhymed." The owner of the voice stepped out, "I'm Amanda, but people call me Mandy."

Ollie stood up, "How'd you get in here."

"Well there were these mean looking heroes coming down the hall so I hid in the shadow, but when I leaned on the wall it moved, and when it closed I couldn't get out," Mandy said her voice hoarse.

"Why don't we go take you to J'onn and Diana," Ollie suggested pushing himself up. Mandy nodded and together her and Wally and Ollie made their way back to the lounge.

As Wally and Ollie pushed Mandy into the lounge Diana looked up, "Mandy what are you doing here?"

"You know her," Ollie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"She was one of the children with Batman," Diana answered picking Mandy up and resting her on her hip.

"I'm sorry I snuck on the ship," Mandy said quietly, "I just have to know if he'll get better."

"It's okay, but what about your family, they must be really worried," Diana asked.

"I live at the orphanage, with Bobby," Mandy explained.

"Oh," Diana said quietly.

Mandy looked at her stomach, "I'm kinda hungry."

"Of course you are, dinner will be ready in a little," Diana said with a small smile.

"Actually Miss Prince, dinner is ready now," Alfred corrected entering the room.

"What are we having," Wally asked his eyes brightening.

"Roast beef, Cesar salad, a German wheat bread, grilled zucchini and a Jamaican banana apple desert, it's not much, but that's all I could come up with with the spices and minimal supplies you have here, not to be rude," Alfred replied.

Wally's stomach growled and everyone gave a small smile.

"Alfred anything you cook is wonderful," Diana said.

"Thank you Miss," Alfred nodded.

"Do you have milk," Mandy asked Alfred as she and Diana walked by the butler.

"I'm sure there is some around here," Alfred said smiling at Mandy.

* * *

Metropolis

Clark Kent and Lois Lane-Kent's apartment

Lois set down her knife and fork and glared at her husband sitting across from her. Something was wrong and she knew it, she also knew Clark didn't want to talk about it. This time something was different, she could tell. When he'd arrived home he looked at her hard and long, like she would disappear and as she attempted to kiss him in greeting he pulled her into a quick hug, kissed Jor-El, and hopped in the shower without a word. Lois thought he would open up after his shower, but he didn't, he hadn't said a word since he had come home. She'd tried to make conversation at the table, but Clark didn't say a word. Frustrated Lois carefully set down her silverware and looked across the table. "What's wrong Clark?"

Clark looked down at his plate like a guilty young boy.

"Smallville if you don't tell me what the problem is I will make you sleep in the Watchtower for the rest of the week," Lois threatened growing irritated with his childish silence.

Clark continued to stare at his plate, he pushed his food around having not eated any of it.

"The reason we got married is so that we could become closer to each other, how can we do that when you're not telling me what's going on." Clark was quiet still. "Damn it Clark," Lois swore. Still nothing from the Man of Steel. "You can put your dishes in the sink on your way out," she hissed quietly.

Lois watched him carefully as she cut into the chicken, she opened her mouth to snap again when he lifted his head. "I'm sorry Lois," Clark said softly. Lois tried to hide her surprise when she saw his face, two lines of tears fell down his cheeks and worry, sadness, and fear were etched into every line of his face.

"What's wrong Clark," Lois asked again all her frustrations forgotten.

"Bruce he's…..he's," Clark stopped.

"What is it," Lois asked trying to come up with as many reason as she could for why the Man of Steel would be crying over Bruce, yet the only one that came to mind was that Bruce was dead.

"He's…hurt," Clark said using the only word he thought that fit the situation.

Lois let her breath out, "What happened?"

"We don't know. He was found at the explosion in Sitka, he was also sprayed by Crane's new toxin and we don't know how to counter it," Clark answered.

"Well I'm sure you'll find an antidote," Lois stated firmly, visibly relaxing.

"We might, but Lois, you should see him, he has over 23 broken bones and all the wounds he has are rotting, I've never seen him this bad," Clark whispered.

"He'll get through it," Lois said confidently thinking of the stubborn, strong Bruce she'd dated.

"Lois his body can't heal at it's normal rate. He's in some sort of coma from the toxin; his wounds will take four times as long as they usually do to heal," Clark explained, "You should see his family, Alfred actually shouted at Dick today, _Alfred_. Not only that, but I'm worried about Diana she seems fine, but this has to be eating her up on the inside."

"Maybe she can come and visit me and we'll go out," Lois suggested thoughtfully.

"I'm gonna turn in," Clark said taking his dishes into the kitchen before heading for their bedroom.

**_To Be Continued….._**

**Note: **Opinions are appreciated via review or PM; constructive criticism is welcome.

**-JoPo ;) **


	3. That One is my Favorite

**Author: **JoPo

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening: **Batman was just found covered in blood.

**Note: **This has been updated and edited as of 9/21/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: That One is My Favorite**

Nightwing looked at his watch for the thirty-fifth time that night, though knew he still had twenty-eight more minutes until he could return to the Watchtower, but he needed to know if his internal clock was off. His patrol of Bludhaven was almost over, there had been two attempts of bank robbery, five attempts at muggings, and one suicidal attempt. He knew he had been rough on all of them, giving them a heavy beating, but he was in a bad mood.

_Beep. "Carson to Rogers I need back up at the Lance Museum on Arctic and 26__th_."

_Beep. "Rogers to Carson, I'm on my way."_

_Beep. "…"_

_Beep. "Rogers? Rogers, you there?"_

_Beep. "Please leave a message after the gunshot…" BANG._

_Beep. "This is Rogers to all available units we have an officer down, repeat: officer down, available units to Arctic and 26__th__, the Lance Museum."_

Nightwing jumped from the roof to his Batcycle and took off towards the Museum. Upon arriving he saw the front doors had been torn off their hinges. He glanced the museum over, he noted two black vans and their license-plates, he also saw the footprints in the dirt, four sets. Slowly entering the museum, Nightwing followed a small humming coming from the scientific wing. As he neared the arch that read 'Science is Our Life' he could hear the voices more clearly:

"C'mon just grab it, this is our last stop for the night," a gruff voice said.

"Shut up, if you want to stick your hands into a grid of lasers, then be my guest," snapped a gravely voice.

"Both of you shut up, Mark, grab it and lets go, he's not going to be pleased if we're late," Nightwing froze, anger boiled like lava in the pit of his stomach. He new that voice, the oily, shrewd voice of Dr. Jonathan Crane. Nightwing felt himself shaking in anger, in rage. Without thinking he ran into the room and kicked the first man he saw with so much force the man was knocked through a display and passed out where he landed. Nightwing spun around and threw seven rapid punches into the gut of the next man, the man doubled over and Nightwing stabbed his fingers into the man's neck hitting a pressure point causing the man to fall to the floor. The third man was more prepared for him, but Nightwing was so fueled by rage he didn't even feel the fist collide with his ribs, but he did feel the marble floor meet his head creating a throbbing bump. Jumping back up Nightwing kicked the man in the groin, he usually never resorted to such a cruel blow, but he wasn't himself.

"If it isn't Baby Bats, where's daddy," Crane taunted.

Nightwing moved so fast Crane didn't have time to blink. Nightwing held Crane by his shirt out of the window he'd just broken ready to drop Crane to his death three stories down. "Where is the antidote?"

"So it worked, Bats is down," Crane muttered gleefully to himself.

"Batman is not down," Nightwing growled, "but two children are, because they inhaled your toxin."

"What do I care," Crane asked a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"You want to live right," Nightwing asked.

Crane laughed. "You wouldn't kill me, you're just like the Big Bat, but you're even softer," Crane said, his smile growing with each word.

"Tell me," Nightwing demanded.

"This Is The Police! Come Out With Your Hands Up," called a blow horn from the front of the museum.

"So are the little kids squirming yet," Crane asked.

"Tell Me How To Reverse It," Nightwing bellowed.

"No," Crane objected with a smirk.

Nightwing narrowed his eyes underneath his cowl; he was trying to regain control of himself, but his rage forced his sensible side down; his rage was ready to drop Crane. Nightwing let Crane's shirt slip as he loosened his grip allowing the material to slide between his fingers until he only had Crane's left collar in his hand. Crane's eyes widened in shock, for a fleeting moment he thought the Bat-imitation was going to drop him, but he didn't. "I. Will. Drop. You." Nightwing snarled smoothly.

"You don't have the guts," Crane croaked, his collar making it difficult to speak.

"Your testi—" Nightwing didn't even feel the brass-knuckles dig into his throat, he only realized what was going on when Crane fell from his grip, he watched in horror as Crane fell. Rushing to the window Nightwing saw Crane running along side two of the large men, one man with another slung over his shoulder.

_Damn it, _Nightwing thought. His raging self disappearing just as Crane had.

"Oracle to Nightwing, are you okay," Barbra's voice said into his ear.

His head throbbed at the loud voice in his ear. Nightwing attempted to answer, but nothing came out. He tried again, not a sound. _T__hat punch must have hit hard_, Nightwing thought rubbing his neck. He pulled his cell phone out and texted Barbra 'Im good, teleport me up.'

* * *

Tim woke in all of his Robin gear. He closed his eyes trying to get the mangled, bleeding vision of Bruce out of his head and his dream, before realizing it hadn't been a dream, but reality. He felt around himself and realized he wasn't in his room at the Titan Tower or the Manor, he was in the Watchtower. The last thing he remembered was throwing up and hearing Wonder Woman say she would let him rest. Robin opened his eyes and sat up slowly. He looked around and saw paintings of Greek gods and goddesses on the walls, a small alter set up on the far wall, and a red sofa against another, he realized he was in Wonder Woman's room. His eyes rested on a pair of bright green eyes surrounded by wavy blond hair watching him closely.

"Umm...hi," Tim said uneasily pushing himself up.

The owner of the green eyes jumped up and stuck her hand out, "Hi, Amanda says, 'I'm Amanda but people call me Mandy.'"

Tim looked the little girl up and down, she looked about six or seven—and was very, very tiny—but she had the personality of a twelve year old cheerleader. "Nice to meet you," Tim said taking her hand. He wondered how she gotten onto the watchtower and why she spoke to him in third person.

"Mandy says, 'You're Bruce's son aren't you'," Mandy asked.

Tim looked at her shocked, "Uh...Don't you mean Batman?"

"Mandy says, 'Bruce is Batman, that's what Diana calls him, she's very nice, and so is Bruce'," Mandy said.

"Bruce is awake," Tim exclaimed jumping off the bed.

"Mandy says, 'No'," Mandy's face fell.

"Oh... Well then how do you know he's nice," Tim asked.

"Mandy says, 'He was nice to her and Bobby, he gave them some food and his cape and water, he told them a story before he fell asleep'," Mandy said.

"Huh," Tim huffed.

"Mandy wants to know if she can see your face," Mandy asked.

"Um..," Tim was unsure if he should let this little girl see his face.

"Mandy says, 'Your name is Tim, Tim Drake'," Mandy said.

Tim's eyes widened behind his mask, "How do you know that," he asked incredulously.

"Mandy says, 'One: you just told her and two: Bruce Wayne adopted boys named Tim Drake and Dick Grayson'," Mandy said.

"Oh…" Tim was baffled by how much this girl knew, though decided she wasn't a threat and took off his mask. Mandy stared into his eyes as if searching for something, after a few minutes she looked away and began sniffling. Tim was confused, "What's wrong," he asked kneeling down next to her.

"You remind me of Bruce, and Bruce isn't doing good, he's not doing good at all," Mandy sobbed no longer using third person, "I saw him, he's all bloody and yellow."

Tim hugged the little girl, "He'll get better."

"That's not what they say," Mandy cried burying her face in Tim's shoulder.

Hearing this Tim realized she was probably right, Bruce had never been this bad before, and on top of it he showed no signs of a recovery. "Let's go find Alfred."

"Alfred told me to give you these," Mandy said breaking the embrace and wiping her eyes. She walked over to a bundle on the floor by the sofa and handing it to Tim, "He said you should take a shower, he gave me this too," she handed him a small red bag. Tim opened it and found a bar of soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, and all the other bathroom essentials. He gave a small smile, Alfred had probably gone back to the manor and gotten extra clothes and all the simple items they—the Bat-clan—used.

Entering Diana's bathroom Tim looked around, it was plain, the counter and shelves weren't crowed or covered with make-up, lotions, perfumes, or any other girly stuff he'd seen in other bathrooms. Black towel rested on the counter with BW embroidered in gold at the bottom, _Alfred does think of everything,_ Tim thought turning on the water in the shower.

Fifteen minutes later Tim stepped out of the shower feeling clean and as if a small weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He dressed and walked back into Diana's room surprised to find Mandy still sitting on the bed right where he had left her; she was watching his every movement. "You're hungry, let's go," she said grabbing his hand and pulling him out the door. As she dragged him along Tim realized he was hungry, the fact was that Mandy knew it before him began turning his wheels, was it because she'd guessed or had she some how known, Tim pondered this while letting himself be dragged through the watchtower.

Upon reaching the cafeteria Tim saw everyone except for Dinah and Ollie sitting at a table in the middle of the room out of costume. They were all eating and talking quietly to each other; Tim noted that no one smiled or laughed. After squeezing in between Dick and Cass, Mandy pushed him into Dick so she could fit. Dick opened his mouth to protest when he saw it was Mandy. After Tim piled his plate high with food, he glanced around the table more closely and noticed Lois sitting next to Clark conversing quietly. On Clark's left side was John and Shayera and then Wally who was next to Donna who sat next to Dick. Tim peered around Cass, on her left was J'onn, then Barbra, Alfred, and Selina and Zatanna. Tim realized Diana was missing, he wanted to thank her for giving up her room to him. Tim began to eat while listening to the conversations around him:

Clark and Lois-

Clark: "Lois I don't want you to go in there, he wouldn't want you to see him like this, _I_ don't want you to see him like this."

Lois: "I have to see this for myself, then I will leave it alone, but not until."

Clark: "The whole point of you coming was to talk to Diana."

Lois "Diana is strong, I'll still talk to her, but I'm seeing Bruce, I…"

Selina and Zatanna-

Selina: "He was amazing, best ever, no one has compared since."

Zatanna: "Yeah, sounds just like him, but don't forget he's had plenty of practice…"

Tim quickly stopped listening to this conversation, he had an idea of what they were talking about, but didn't want to find out if his hypothesis was correct.

Alfred, J'onn, and Barbra-

J'onn: "He found him at the Lance Museum stealing an amplifier."

Alfred: "Do you have any idea who might be helping him?"

J'onn: "No, but we do not believe someone is helping, we believe he has been recruited for something larger."

Barbra: "I can't figure out what he's building…" J'onn started in on the details about a complicated computer system Barbra could use for research.

Wally, John, and Shayera-

Shayera: "They've had four level six missions and one natural disaster."

John: "What was it?"

Shayera: "Earthquake."

Wally: "Does anyone know about Bats?"

John: "Of course, quite a few heroes saw him."

Wally: "I mean do they know how bad it is…?"

Dick, Cass and Donna-

Cass: "I discovered a picture of him holding his blankly, Tim said he took it when Dick didn't take him to see _Killer Jia_."

Donna: "I could use a copy, have any extras?"

Cass: "I could easily get you one."

Tim looked at his adopted brother incredulously.

Dick opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water. "What's wrong," Tim asked. Dick attempted to speak again.

"He was careless on patrol, took a pair of brass knuckles to the throat, he can't talk, probably for another several hours," Cass explained.

Tim withdrew himself from the conversation and finished his food. Standing he decided to go to the infirmary, but realized he didn't know how to get there.

"C'mon I'll take you," Mandy said stepping in front of him.

As Mandy lead him through the halls Tim wondered how she knew her way around so well, but brushed it off when they arrived in the infirmary a short while later. Tim spotted Diana sitting next to Bruce stroking his hair like a mother would a sick child. As he entered Max and Pride lifted their heads from the floor whining softly; Diana acknowledged him with a nod. Tim sat down on the other side of the bed and looked at his father's face. "Please get better, we need you, Dick needs you," Tim whispered grabbing Bruce's cold hand.

Diana broke the silence a few moments later, "How are things in the family?"

"Before this," Tim sighed waving a hand over his mentor's body, "We would see each other at big galas that involve Wayne Enterprises every few months. I would talk to Bruce and Cass, she's still living at the manor, and then I would find Barbra. Dick comes to very few ever since the fight between him and Bruce; they've hardly talked, in the last four years they've exchanged a handful of words, most at an unreasonable volume. We've tried to get them to talk to each other, but its hopeless, we've given up. When we called Dick and explained that Bruce was missing, it took us nearly an hour to convince him to come to the manor and another to convince him Bruce was really missing."

Diana reply, she just examined Bruce's face. Tim looked Diana over, he knew she liked Bruce, she never stopped bugging him, but the way she was looking at him now was different, there was love, worry, annoyance, sadness, and lust clouding her eyes. Tim was surprised at the last one, he didn't think Diana truly loved Bruce, he just thought it was a little crush, but watching her now changed his mind. He thought back to Diana calling both Bruce Wayne and Batman out, and how Bruce always turned her down throwing her words back in her face. Diana would be good for Bruce, she could eliminate all of his dating rules, both Bruce Wayne's and Batman's.

"What," Diana asked when she found Tim looking at her.

"I was just thinking about how you've gotten to Bruce, how he's always in a weird mood after you've talked to him about dating, not mad or irked, but weird, he would be deep in thought and for the next few hours he'd seclude himself in his office, very few can get to Bruce like that. I was also thinking about how nice it would be if Bruce found a wife," Tim grinned with a wink.

Diana's face would have flushed cherry red, but she was too focused on Tim's words, how she 'got' to Bruce even though he didn't seem to show it, his walls were being pulled down by her and for her only.

* * *

"Are you sure Alfred," Barbra asked.

"Yes Miss Gordon, I need to make an excuse for Master Bruce's absence from the tabloids and I'll need to have Lucius cover the meetings he'll be missing. I'll also need to alert all of his girlfriends that he will not be able to see to their needs for awhile, and some of them are oh so persistent." Alfred drawled.

"Yeah, and she would know," Dick whispered to Tim with a smirk. "Ow," Dick grabbed his foot which Barbra had accidentally just ran over.

Selina approached Alfred and took his arm, "We'll be fine," she reassured with a wave as they were teleported back to the Manor.

"Why does Selina have to go again," Tim asked.

"Because we don't want Alfred alone and she was the only one willing to leave," Barbra explained.

"I still don't understand why Bruce ever fell for her," Tim said.

"You mean other than her looks, brains, fiery personality, and skimpy leather? I have no I idea," Dick deadpanned with heavy sarcasm.

"She's nice too, s'not the old Selina we used to know," they all turned around to see Lois standing in the door way.

"We are talking about the same person right," Tim questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yea, Selina is nice, Catwoman is different that's all," Lois explained.

"So how's he doing," Dick asked knowing Lois had just seen Bruce.

"Well... I-I don't know," Lois replied quietly.

"How are you doing," Barbra asked.

"I've been better," Lois sighed, letting out a shaky breath, "I've never seen him so beat up, I'm feeling like the world is going to collapse any minute now."

"It does feel that way," Zatanna agreed entering the room.

"I can't imagine what Diana's going through right now, this must be really hard on her," Lois said, "Clark was right, I do need to take her out."

"I'll go with you, and we can get Shayera and Donna," Zatanna said.

"When should we go," Lois asked.

"How about now," Barbra suggested.

Zatanna nodded, "That sounds good."

"Let's find Shayera and Diana," Lois said turning back the way she came. A few minutes later they were all standing on the teleporters ready to leave. Diana was wearing a white shirt and white pants with a blue jean jacket, Lois in jeans and a red top. Shayera in a pair of black pants with a yellow shirt; she reminded the others of a bumble bee, but they kept that thought to themselves. Zatanna and Donna were both in simple summer dresses. They were just about to leave when a voice cut in.

"Wait, can I come?" the girls looked towards the voice to see Cass standing there. They started at Cass in amazement.

"Sure," Lois nodded perplexed. After Cass had stepped onto the platform Lois looked toward J'onn and Clark, "We'll be back later, call us if anything happens."

"We will," Clark nodded, "take care."

"Where do we want to go," Shayera asked when they all materialized in Lois and Clark's apartment.

"How about the mall, that helps in every situation," Lois grinned.

"Sounds good," Donna agreed.

"The mall," Cass questioned.

"Yeah, you know: stores, clothes, shoes; just thinking about it helps," Donna smiled.

Cass glanced out one of the windows, "I've never been to a mall."

"What?" everyone except Diana exclaimed in surprise.

"Bruce never let you go shopping," Donna asked clearly affronted by this new information.

"No, that's not it. I've never gone, never wanted to. Alfred buys my clothes, I ask him to," Cass shrugged.

Donna turned to the others, "We really have to go to the mall now."

Diana broke the following silence with a random comment as she peered at a few shelves. "This is a great picture," Diana said holding up a picture of Lois, Clark, Ma and Pa Kent, and Lois' parents on her wedding day.

"That one is my favorite, well other than these three," Lois said holding up a tri-frame with three pictures, one after the other. The first one was of Wally, Clark, Ollie, and John, all laughing at a cake covered Bruce. The second was of Wally, Clark, Ollie, and John with looks of pure horror as Bruce held the middle level of the wedding cake in his left hand aiming at them. The last picture was of Wally, Clark, Ollie, and John all covered in cake: John glaring at Bruce, while Wally and Ollie had shock written across their faces, and Clark who was leaning back in his chair roaring with laughter, al while Bruce sat calmly with a small smirk on his face. "John was so mad, he had rented his tux, so he had to pay for it and when he told Bruce to pay for it, Bruce told him that he should have thought of that before they all decided to throw cake at him. Wally and Ollie couldn't believe Bruce retorted like that, and Clark just laughed the whole time."

"These are great, I wish I had seen it, when was it," Diana asked. Everyone was peering over her shoulder trying to see the pictures.

"It was when you were helping me to the bathroom," Lois said smiling.

"To bad we missed it," Diana sighed.

"Yeah," Lois agreed. Lois looked at the picture and then at Cass who was holding it, sadness was etched in every line of her face. "What's wrong Cass," the reporter asked.

"It's Bruce, in this picture, in life, in other pictures he is never really smiling, all you get is a smirk, that's it. I've seen picture of him when he was younger, he had such a wonderful smile, I would like to see him smile like he did, not his playboy smiles which a blindman could see through," Cass said quietly.

It was very quiet for a few minutes before Donna spoke up, "Why don't we head to the mall now?"

"Okay," Lois said leading them to the door.

A couple hours later the girls found themselves around a table in the food court at the Metropolis Maniac Mall exchanging stories.

"Smallville is way too sweet to do that," Lois laughed picking up a fry.

"You're probably right," Diana nodded.

"I could never see Clark doing that," Shayera agreed with a grin.

"What about you Donna, does Dick do that," Zatanna asked.

Donna's smile grew wider and wider, "Yeah, and he's good at it too, I think he used to ask Bruce for advice before they got into that fight."

"But you weren't going out with him then," Diana commented.

"I know but still," Donna shrugged, "he's good."

"I wonder whose better, him or Bruce," Shayera questioned.

"Bruce," Lois and Zatanna said at the same time. They started laughing and soon the others joined in.

"What's so funny, you guys are attracting a lot of attention," Mari McCabe asked approaching the table, Vivian D'Aramis by her side. The two women pulled chairs up to the table and were welcomed by the others due to their titles in the superhero community: Vixen and Crimson Fox.

"We're talking about how good our men are at using our sex life to get what they want. Has Michael ever told you he wasn't going to get in bed with unless you let him do something," Donna asked licking the spoon to her milkshake.

"Nope, why? Your BF using it," Mari asked smiling.

"Yea, and it kills me, awhile back I kept bugging him about making things right with his dad and he threatened to keep his hands to himself for three days for every time I mentioned it. All I got was a peck on the cheek, and because of my big mouth thats all I got for two months, _two months_," Donna said exasperated.

"Damn I could never go that long, you must have mentioned it a lot. How'd you get through it," Vivian asked.

"I don't know, but when my punishment was over, I could have given my life to the gods had I not wanted my sex life back on track," Donna said dramatically.

"Donna," Diana said incredulously, a small smile playing on her lips.

Everyone laughed.

"I'm just kidding," Donna grinned.

"So what new with your love life Diana? Hows that one guy, Max or Mark," Vivian question the Wonder Woman.

Donna's mouth dropped open, "You were going out with someone and you didn't tell me."

"Ye-p," Diana answered popping the word.

"Good for you D," Shayera smiled, referring to her dating again.

"So how are things between the two of you," Mari asked.

"Okay, I think he's going to end it soon," Diana sighed, upset she'd started this whole thing to make Bruce jealous, only to later realize it wasn't working, but no she found herself dating because she needed a distraction.

"Why," Zatanna asked.

"My mind is never with myself when we're together," Diana replied stabbing a piece of fruit with her fork, "_Wh__enever_ we're together."

"You mean you've gotten down with Mark," Donna asked incredulously.

Diana raised an eyebrow, "His name is Max and so what if I have?"

"How many of your boyfriends have you slept with," Lois asked.

"Um..," Diana thought about everyone she'd gone out with. There was Adam, he was nice, but she couldn't stand herself for using him, Jake put her in a similar position as Adam. Although she did sleep with Steve and Luke, nothing happened with Chris or Ted, and before Max there was Will who she liked a lot and who she'd slept with, but broke up with due to building guilt. And now Max. "Four out of eight including Max," Diana said answering Lois' question.

"So what are Max's flaws," Vivian questioned digging for reason that would result in the end of a relationship with _the_ Wonder Woman.

Diana had pause and take a moment to think. Max was as tall as her, he had golden brown hair and grey eyes, he was semi-athletic: he loved swimming. He was an advertiser for Millennium Products, and was a hard worker who loved what he did, he was good at it too. He had a great personality; he was sweet, funny, and smart. For their first date he took her to a festival in Marlson where they both lived. She really couldn't find anything wrong with him, which made her feel guilty since he was so nice and she hardly thought of him. "He doesn't really have any," Diana sighed.

"Oh," Mari asked raising an eyebrow.

"Cassandra is that you?" The question interrupted further conversation and the table turned in the direction of the voice. "What are you doing way out here," asked an elderly, balding man approaching their table, followed by another man with a woman and two teenage boys.

"Shopping," Cass answered, a slight question laced within her voice.

"And who are you fine companions," The elderly man asked leaning on his cane greeting each one of the ladies with a friendly smile.

"This is Diana Prince, Lois Kent, Mari McCabe, Vivian D'Aramis , Donna Troy, Zatanna Zatara, and Shayera Hol," Cass introduced, pointing out each woman. "This is Father Mathew Johnson," Cass explained, nodding toward the elderly gentleman.

"Hello ladies, you are all looking well on this fine day," Father Mathew said.

"Thank you," Diana smiled.

"Oh excuse me! Cassandra this is my nephew, Ron; his wife, Laura; and their children Duncan and T.j. Ron, Laura, Duncan, T.j. this is Cassandra Wayne," Mathew introduced them, to his nephew he said, "Cassandra and Bruce attend my services."

"Wayne, as in Bruce Wayne," T.j. asked in amazement.

"Yes! The one and only. By the way, I haven't seen you in mass lately, is everything all right," Father Mathew asked Cass.

"Bruce had a big business trip and afterwards decided to take a vacation, but he won't be out of the house for a couple of days, he's been diagnosed with strep-throat," Cass replied coolly lying through her teeth.

"Oh, that's too bad, tell him to get well, I hope to see you back in church," Father Mathew said walking back to his gawking nephews.

"Have a good day Father," Cass called.

When the Father was out of ear shot Vivian whipped around to face Cass, "You just lied to a priest; and Bruce Wayne goes to church?"

"Yes, we do it often, we lie to _a lot_ of people it comes with being billionaires and we only attend mass because Bruce went with his parents who were really good friends with Father, when Father Mathew dies—which will be soon—we'll stop going," Cass explained in her flat, monotone voice.

"Hey Lois, Shayera where are your little ones," Mari asked changing the subject.

"Rex and Sarah are with Jor at the Kent's," Shayera answered. [Jor-El (2): Clarks and Lois' boy. Rex (1) and Sarah (3): Shayera and John's kids.]

"They wanted to give us a break, so they offered to keep the little rascals for two weeks," Lois said.

"How's your little girl Mari," Donna asked.

"Rachel is good," Mari replied with a smile.

Diana hated to admit it, but when others talked about their relationships and how great they were, it always made her uncomfortable and upset that none of her relationships worked out. Lois and Clark were now married with a one year old baby boy. Mari got married and has a little girl turning four. John and Shayera also got married and have two beautiful children. Wally married Linda last summer, Helen and Vic married, Ollie and Dinah also married. J'onn has a wife in China who has two daughters, who both loved J'onn very much; the list went on and on, there were very few league members who weren't married, engaged, expecting a child or already had a child, and it made Diana feel so left out. None of her relationships worked out she struggled to maintain contact with anyone outside the League. Diana turned to Cass who had hardly said anything all day and who was presently ignoring the conversation completely. "Would you like to join me for a walk," Diana asked the Batgirl.

Cass nodded and they both stood, leaving the table unnoticed by the others. They wondered into the park across from the mall and sat down on a bench overlooking a stream. "The conversation placed you in an uncomfortable position," Cass said staring at the water, it wasn't a question.

Diana knew the Batgirl's perceptiveness shouldn't surprise her, but she shook it off and sighed, "Yes, I can barely maintain a relationship outside, yet the others seem to have time for friends and family alike."

"Do believe it is because you relationships are lacking the correct opposite that will fill you with a sense of wholeness or because you can not pull yourself away from _him_?" Cass asked.

Cass' straight forwardness was unsurprising, the girl lived with Bruce, but once again her preceptive skills amazed Diana, "Both."

Something pulled at the corner of Cass' lips, "Bruce is a man who meets all physical standards, he is very appealing."

For a moment Diana thought Cass may have a crush on her mentor, but when she looked at the young heroine she saw a flicker of pride and love similar to a daughter's. "He is, but he can not settle down because Bruce Wayne has a chauvinistic womanizing image to maintain."

"Bruce needs a strong woman who can take his bullshit excuse, someone like you." Cass took a breath and nudged a rock with her toe, "Occasionally he'll invite me to dinner with his date or dates, and he'll excuse himself from the table for a moment. The bitches pounce and interrogate me, trying to get their greedy hands on something that will give them an advantage over others like them. The ones who hate me are the easiest, they tell me to fuck off so they get Bruce alone; their all idiots," Cass said leaning her head back, looking up at the sky.

"He does stick up for you though," Diana asked.

"Not in public, though once we attended a fundraiser, it was a picnic. Towards the end a middle aged man to drunk to stand began feeling me up and because I was supposed to be the weak little girl Bruce Wayne had saved I wasn't to do anything to blow the cover, all I could do was shove him. He tried to kiss me only to find Bruce Wayne's fist shattering his jaw; we left after that," Cass explained, "I've never seen him that angry before. He sued the guy." the last part was added as an after thought.

"I bet the press ate it up," Diana said.

"They did, but they didn't think it was Bruce," Cass replied.

They were quiet for a long time until Diana's curiosity got the better of her, "You don't have to answer, but how did you and Bruce meet, did he find you, how did you become batgirl?"

Cass was quiet for a long time and Diana didn't think she was going to answer until she spoke up, "My father worked for Ra's Al Ghul and he was to find a bodyguard, a bodyguard trained since birth, so he sought out the perfect mother to bear the child. He found her, a Wu-San sister in Detroit who practiced martial arts with her sisters nearly every moment of their life. He killed the sisters, all but Sandra, told her he would spare her if she would give birth to his child, she agreed. After birth she left me with my father and later became Lady Shiva. Trained by my father, an assassin by the name of David Cain, to be the ultimate martial artist and assassin, I did become the perfect assassin. David would beat me, always leaving bruises and broke bones, he used his fists not words. When I was eight Cain decided his experiment had progressed far enough for him to test my abilities in the real world, told me to kill a businessman. In addition to scarring me emotionally, I realized murder was wrong, and I ran away from David. I was homeless for years, until I came to Gotham. I was walking the streets alone when I noticed three figures atop a building, they were talking and the smaller one said Bruce Wayne and after listening to the conversation I put two and two together. Three days later I entered Wayne Enterprises and broke into Bruce's office demanding a fight. At the age of thirteen I could not talk so after a long convincing conversation of the fists he took me to the Manor, it went from there."

Diana had nothing to say her mind was reeling, she'd always liked Cass, not that she didn't like Dick, Tim or Barbra but she'd taken a special liking to Cass, maybe because she reminded her of her sisters back on Themyscira. Diana was not sympathetic, she knew Cass wouldn't appreciate it. Diana's thoughts were interrupted by Cass' phone.

"Hello," Cass answered.

* * *

Dick and Tim were in the training room sparing, Dick with the upper hand, while Mandy sat on the sidelines watching in amazement. Tim ducked a punch and swung at Dick's stomach, Dick regained his balance and aimed a kick at Tim's face, Tim crouched and swung his leg across the mat and knocked Dick's feet from under him. Tim leapt on top of Dick fist raised when he looked up at the sound of Wally skidding into the room, Dick took this opportunity to grab Tim's arms, lock his leg into Tim's knee and shove Tim's face into the mat. "I give," Tim called from the mat.

"We have a problem," Wally said, paling with each word.

"What is it," Dick asked jumping up.

"Bats is freaking out," Wally replied.

"What do you mean," Tim question flipping himself to his feet.

"He's having a seizure or something," Wally said frantically.

Dick ran out of the room followed by the others, they reach the medical bay and saw Bruce's body flailing. Dick ran over and attempted to hold him down, but Bruce was bigger and it seemed useless. "Wally help me, Tim call J'onn and Superman or Wonder Woman we need some strength."

Tim ran to the monitor womb, and frantically looked at all the buttons, "Shit I don't know how to use this," he looked at Mandy, "Do you know how to use this?"

"No," Mandy said, "but can't you call someone."

"I don't know how to use this stuff," Tim repeated.

"That's not what I mean; you have a phone, call someone."

"Oh, right," Tim whipped out his phone and called Cass.

"Hello?" Cass answered.

"Cass is Diana with you," Tim asked

"Yeah, why what's wrong," Cass asked her voice turning to steel at his tone.

"Can I teleport you and Diana up here, or are there people around," Tim asked hurriedly.

"No one's around," Cass answered.

"Tim Hurry," Dick's voice echoed in the monitor womb.

"What was that," Cass asked.

"How do I use the teleported," Tim asked.

"I'll put Diana on," Cass said.

"Hello?" Diana's voice came in concerned.

"How do I use the teleporter," Tim asked. Diana told him what to do and within a few seconds she and Cass were standing on the platform.

"What's going on," they both asked upon reaching him.

"Tim!" Dick yelled again.

"Bruce is having some sort of seizure," Tim explained running down the hallway towards the medical bay.

Diana flew ahead of them and helped Dick hold him down. "Wally use the com-lick and call J'onn, Now!"

Wally did what he was told and moments later J'onn was floating through the wall. He searched through a drawer and instructed Diana to hold an arm still, J'onn then stuck a syringe in Bruce's arm.

Slowly, very slowly Bruce's movements clammed and eventually stopped. "I should have stayed here, I'm sorry I did not," J'onn said to Dick.

"You didn't know that was going to happen, you and Clark only wanted to check in at the MetroTower," Dick shrugged still breathing hard.

Cass sat down next to Diana who was shaking slightly, "The others should be informed of what has happened."

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **So how did you like it? Please review, constructive criticism welcomed.

**N/A:** Only founding members and a few select others know the identities of the Bat-clan, meaning Mari and Vivian don't know Cass is Batgirl.

**-Jopo :)**


	4. I Thought you Meant Figuratively

**Author: **JoPo

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening: **Batman was just found covered in blood.

**Note: **This has been updated and edited as of 10/1/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: I Thought You Meant Figuratively**

The founding members, the Batclan, Mandy, Alfred, Selina, Zatanna, Kent (Dr. Fate), his wife Inza, and Jason Blood/Etrigan all sat in a conference room looking at J'onn expectantly. "We need to help Batman before it is too late, and I've tried everything except one thing," J'onn's voice quivered and he placed a hand on the table for support.

"J'onn are you alright," Barbra asked. J'onn's whole body seemed to shake, but he gave a small nod. "J'onn are you sure you're okay," Barbra asked again, "Why don't you sit down?"

"You don't look good J'onn," Clark said examining his martian companion, "Sit down."

J'onn sat and faced the rooms occupants. "As I was saying, the only thing we can do is find the toxin invading Batman's mind and help him fight it. And... and because the toxin attacks the mind w-we must enter..." J'onn's hands shook violently, he took a deep breath before continuing, "...we must enter Batman's mind."

"What do you mean _we_," John question suspiciously.

"I mean to say we are all going to enter Batman's mind, with the exception of Alfred, Selina, and Mandy. They will go back to the Manor, I thought it best that they know what we will being doing," J'onn said trying to remain composed.

"You mean that's why we're here," Jason said waving at himself and Kent.

"Yes," J'onn nodded.

"Are you sure about this," Jason asked hesitantly, "I'm just as much afraid of his mind as you are, if not more so."

"J'onn's not afraid of Bats' mind," Wally laughed, he glanced at J'onn and slowly paled, "Are you J'onn?"

"I have not been honest with all of you… I fear Batman's mind more than anything else in the universe. I would rather fly into the sun than enter his mind, but do to uncontrollable circumstances this is the only option we have left and I am willing to do it for Batman, but you are all to accompany me," J'onn stated. Wally's eyes widened in shock.

"Are we all going at once," Cass asked her voice flat and hard.

"Yes. To warn you though, I have no idea of what we are up against," J'onn said.

"What do you mean you don't know what we're up against," John asked suspiciously.

"I have never entered Batman's mind, I've been in everyone's mind, but never his," J'onn said simply, the tremor in his voice still present.

John raised an eyebrow, "Why not, if you've been through every other hero's mind, why not his?"

"Cause he's super scary," Wally muttered to himself; the other League members, upon hearing the not-so-quiet comment smiled.

J'onn looked towards Wally, "That was one of the reasons, the other ones were—are because his mental walls are strong, stronger than nearly any wall I have encountered and it would take a very long time to create the smallest of cracks, and... because Batman has many, many defenses in his mind that could easily hurt a telepath." A silence fell over the group as J'onn's words sunk in.

Dick broke the soundless barrier, "So when are going to do this?"

"Tomorrow morning," J'onn answered.

The next morning the founding members, the Batclan, Zatanna, Kent, Inza, and Jason found themselves sitting in chairs along the walls around the mangled body of Batman.

"Are you ready," J'onn asked Kent, Zatanna, Inza, and Jason.

"Yes," they replied in unison.

"Everyone close your eyes and keep them closed until I instruct other wise. Try and clear your mind of all thought, this may hurt," J'onn said trembling. Kent, Zatanna, Jason, Inza, and J'onn shared a final glance before closing their eyes. They reach out with their minds to the group sitting with them so that they would all be included.

Clark was the first to feel the magicians and telepath reach out to him, he let them enter his mind. He tensed as pain shot through his head, it was if his mind was exploding. He relaxed feeling the presence of the others in his head and the pain vanish. Dick was next, he opened his mind to the group, and let them in, pain shot though his body and then, he too, relaxed. The process was repeated for each person in the room, until they all were connected, forming one giant mind.

"This will be far more painful," J'onn warned. The group's telepath and magicians reached out to the last mind in the room that seemed galaxies away and plunged head first into the mind of the Batman. Everyone held their breath, the experience far more painful than joining minds, it was excruciating. The heroes felt like they were being squeezed through a straw and then placed under the pressure of a thousand oceans.

When they all felt the presence of ground beneath their bodies' they exhaled and then inhaled only to fill their lungs with nothing; Wally, Tim, Barbra, John, and Inza gasped at the lack of oxygen. Zatanna stood, eyes glowing purple, sending a bright light in all directions, then disappearing, plunging them all back into darkness, but they could breathe now.

Cass and Diana stood up brushing themselves off. As John stood he stumbled into Jason, who tripped and fell on to Shayera who was still on the ground, when Jason slammed into her stomach Shayera's arms flailed out, causing Clark to grab onto Wally, who fell back to the ground.

"Ow! Watch it," Wally complained rubbing his head.

"Sorry, Wally," Clark apologized.

"Can we open our eyes," Jason asked.

"I believe so," J'onn said.

John squinted into the darkness, "A little dark don't you think?"

"Hello! You know who's mind we're in right? Batman, the _D__ark_ Knight, this place is just like Bats: dark, scary, mysterious, creepy, and all that other stuff," Wally said straining his eyes to look around.

Zatanna nodded in agreement, "This does remind me of Bruce."

"Hey what's that," Donna asked pointing to a shape in the distance.

"Why don't we find out," Inza suggested walking forward. They all stumbled forward, including Clark and J'onn; no special vision could help them here.

When they reached the mass, it looked about fifty feet tall and who knows how long because as far as they could tell it kept going both to their left and right. Inza stepped forward, "I can not tell what it is."

Kent and Zatanna conjured two glowing orbs of yellow and purple light. They only illuminated a small area, but it gave off enough light for the mass to be identified as a wall.

"This part's been destroyed," Dick said walking over to a large gap in the wall, stone was scatted all around it, "It looks like it's been bombed."

"What is a wall doing in Bats mind," Wally asked glancing around uneasily.

"I told you before. Batman has a mental wall," J'onn said, "I suspect this is it."

"I thought you meant figuratively," Wally exclaimed astounded.

"No, I meant it literally," J'onn said stepping into the gap to examine the wall closely, "Kent will you please provide some light for me?" Kent approached J'onn and shed what little light the orb had on to the wall. "This most impressive," J'onn said running his hand along the rough surface.

"What is," Barbra asked.

"Batman's mental wall, it is the largest I have ever seen, most are only inches thick where as Batman's is far more than mer inches," J'onn explained not taking his eyes off of the wall.

"Seven and nine," Cass said standing across from J'onn examining the other side of the gap.

"Seven and nine, what's that mean," Wally asked.

"Seven feet and nine inches wide," Shayera supplied.

Diana turned to J'onn, "So most mental walls are only inches thick."

"Yes, out of our group you and Cass have the thickest, strongest walls, other than my self and Kent, Jason, Inza, and Zatanna, but that is simply because theirs are reinforced with magic and mine because I'm a telepath," J'onn said turning to face Diana.

"So how come its broken here," Jason asked.

"The toxin," J'onn replied.

"Shall we continue," Shayera asked stepping though the gap and walking to the other side of the wall waiting for the others. When the others stood next to, or behind Shayera, Cass took a step forward being the only one who had enough courage to enter the new territory. The other heroes followed, each step more tentative than the last, they were all fearful and extremely uneasy. The expanse in front of them was barely illuminated by a faint, eerie light. They could just see the blue, due covered grass that cloaked the ground with few grey stones poking out from the soil beneath the frightened group. White mist twisted and churned, roiling up like some savage monster, but raising no higher then the waist as if in fear of mightier beings.

A small giggle echoed around the heroes, coming from all directions. The group stepped closer to each other; they all held their breath, anticipating the sound to attack. Another giggle made them all jump, Wally pointed, wide eyed to a small figure bouncing through the mist. The mist parted as a young boy skipped though it; bright blue eyes shone with carefree joy and were matched by a blinding, exuberant smile, all framed by onyx hair. The boy looked over his shoulder and his smile widened, until it was ear to ear, the heroes looked for the source of this boy's happiness, but came to no avail. The child faced the heroes again and skipped right through them, like a ghost, he kept going between the broken wall into the black abyss that swallowed him up immediately. Diana, Wally, Jason, and Barbra all shivered, the boy had passed directly through them leaving them feeling cold and sick.

Their attention was draw to the spot were the boy had first been upon hearing violins and violas fill the expanse with their sweet, serene melody. Two figures waltzed into view, a tall man with an intelligent and kind face and thick black hair, the same as the boy's and a petite blond woman with a gentle and caring manner with eyes the same as the child's. The man had one hand on the woman's waist and the other one was clasping her hand in his, the lady's other hand was resting lightly on the man's shoulder. They were absorbed in each other; their eyes locked, examining the others' soul. The man spun the woman out and back in, watching her eyes the entire time, telling her how much he loved her without saying a word; she returned the look with just as much passion. They waltzed after the boy, disappearing into the darkness.

The group watched three more figures appear, an elderly man who carried him self with dignity dressed in a sharp suit, a younger Alfred; a young girl with brown curls swinging around her shoulders, flouncing after the couple in a pink dress; and a woman who looked very much like the little girl in a white blouse and skirt covered with a baby blue apron; they too were eaten up by the black abyss. An elderly woman came next, chin held high with a humane aurora, in doctor's clothes.

Dick, Tim, Barbra, and Cass watched in amazement as younger versions of themselves sauntered through. The founding members were just as shocked when their clones strutted across the mist covered earth. Thousands of ghostly figures followed all the ones before them, letting themselves be surrounded by the shadows on the other side of the wall. As the procession slowed into nothing, the heroes let out a much needed sigh.

"Who were all those people, I saw the Joker, Ivy, Selina, and others that I knew, but most of them I've never seen before," Shayera asked gasping for breath.

"Ghosts," Wally guessed rubbing his arms in comfort.

"Then why were we there," John stated flatly trying to hide the quiver in his voice.

"I believe they are people from Barman's past and present," J'onn said.

"Who were the first five people," Jason asked.

"The little boy was Bruce," Cass answered.

"How can that be," Clark asked.

"Bruce is no longer that boy, so it is someone he once knew," Cass said still shivering from the feeling of the phantoms.

"The couple was Martha and Thomas," Dick said.

"Those were Bruce parents," Inza exclaimed.

Tim nodded, "Yes, but I've never seen them so…young, in the family portrait they're older."

"Who was the little girl and her mother," Diana asked.

"I don't know," Barbra shrugged. Diana looked at Tim and Dick, but they just shook their heads.

"I suggest we start looking for the toxin," Kent said.

J'onn nodded, "Agreed."

"Hey, there's another one," Wally said walking over to a ghostly figure. As Wally neared the person he saw it was a woman, she was fuzzy, blurry, the only thing that was clear was her red dress and blond hair. Wally reached out to the woman, "Hello?"

"Wally, don't," Kent warned.

"Hey guys—Hey! What are you doing? Let go! J'onn help! Help!" Wally shouted. The woman had taken hold of his out stretched hand and was dragging him behind her into green mist. The others ran after them.

Clark tried to grab the woman, but his hand went through her arm only to grab at the damp air. Clark then grabbed Wally, but he too started being dragged by the woman to the green mist. The others quickly made a chain gripping each others hands. The woman pulled them through the green mist and they all landed in a heap.

"This is marble," Barbra said from her position on the floor. Shayera quickly jumped off of Barbra's wheel chair and helped the ex-Batgirl back into it. Everyone else righted themselves and looked around.

"I'm in heaven," Wally said his jaw dropping.

"Don't let Linda hear you say that," Dick sniggered.

"Oh come on. Dick you have to admit they're hot," Wally said waving a hand at the table in the middle of the room.

"I got the all the woman I need right here," Dick grinned, placing a hand on Donna's waist.

"You bet you do," Donna said placing her hands on her hips.

John raised an eyebrow, "Who are they and why are they here?"

They had entered a space, not like the one before, a complete opposite. This place was filled with sparkling chandlers and had a marble floor with no mist in sight. There was a large round table in the center with five women sitting around it.

Zatanna took a step forward, "Is that me?" The moment her foot left the marble, one of the women stood up and walked towards a door that had materialized on the left side of the room. The woman stopped in front of the door and they all crept forward to get a better look at her. She was a little shorter than Diana, wearing a light purple dress that fell to her knees with a slit in the middle showing off her legs, there was a small stretch of pink fabric that covered the V-neck of the dress. The woman had wavy brown hair that fell just above her elbows and piercing grey eyes. She wore six thin silver bracelets on each wrist that created a soft clinking sound as she moved; two silver necklaces with small heart shaped lockets hung on her neck, she also wore two small silver studs in her ears. She stood, feet apart watching the door with an Obakan machine gun in her left hand pointing at the ceiling.

"Who and why," John asked eyeing the gun.

"What's with the gun? I thought Bats didn't like guns," Wally asked.

Dick shrugged, "He doesn't use them in a fight, it doesn't mean he doesn't like them.".

"He has quiet a collection of guns actually," Cass said watching the woman carefully.

"Well why—" Jason stopped when the door in front of the woman opened.

A young Bruce stepped through the doors and dropped all the papers he was holding, he let them fall to the floor. Bruce and the woman stared at each other for awhile before Bruce spoke, "Я сожалею, прости меня."

The woman looked him up and down, and then she slung the gun over her shoulder and stepped forward to hug Bruce. After a moment of silence she whispered, "Я не уверен," Bruce rapped his arms around her and returned the hug. The woman stepped back and held Bruce's hands in her own, they took each other in and the woman's eyes began to water and silent tears rolled down her checks. Bruce wiped the tears away and pulled her into another embrace.

"What's going on," John asked quietly.

"Shut up," Shayera muttered lightly smacking him over the head.

The woman pulled buck once more, "Я буду отходить."

Bruce gave her a small nod, "так и знал!" She stepped away from him and headed for the door, but stopped short and turned back to Bruce and gave him one of her necklaces.

"пока!" she walked through the doorway and into darkness.

Bruce looked to the locket in his hand and then to the doorway, "Мне будет Вас не хватать." Then he disappeared along with the doors.

"Anyone know what they said," Clark asked.

"'I'm sorry, forgive me,' to which she replied 'I'm not sure,' she told him she was leaving and Bruce replied, understanding the she said 'goodbye'," Cass explained.

"What was that last part, that part Bats said? Mh-ee som'thin' som'thin'? That part," Wally asked.

"Мне будет Вас не хватать, translates to: I will miss you," Cass replied flatly.

"Oh…" Wally muttered something about a know-it-all.

A chair scrapping against the floor made the heroes look up, the woman that was sitting next to the previously occupied seat stood up. She approached the opposite wall which opened up in to a large apartment that looked out over a city. There was a single chair facing the wall of windows, and in it sat another Bruce. The woman walked around Bruce and stood in front of him. The woman whispered his name and began to cry.

She was a head shorter than the first woman, with dark brown, shoulder length hair and blue-grey eyes. She wore a simple black dress that fell around her ankles.

Still crying she turned to the window and looked out over the city. An Alfred walked into the room and set a tray of food—breakfast—on the table next to the chair, "Master Bruce?" There was a long pause.

Alfred turned to walk out of the room when Bruce spoke up, "She was going to wait for me Alfred, she said she'd wait," Bruce said softly. Alfred was about to say something when he thought better of it, closing his mouth he took a small white envelope off of the tray and tucked it into his pocket. "What was that," Bruce asked.

"It can wait," Alfred answered exiting the room.

The woman turned back to Bruce and fell to her knees and laid her head on Bruce's lap, "I'm s-so sorry B-Bruce," she sobbed; Bruce didn't move, he just continued to stare out the windows. After a moment the woman's clothes began to change into a red jacket and a pair of torn up jeans. She screamed loudly and fell to the floor as if someone was dragging her by her ankle, "Bruce! Bruce! Help Me!" she screamed, "Help Bruce!" The woman's garments started to shred, like a knife was slicing them apart, and her clothes caught fire and she began to disappear as the flames consumed her. Then the apartment and Bruce vanished returning to a solid wall.

Wally couldn't suppress his shiver, "I'm officially freaked out."

"You can say that again, but why didn't Bruce help that girl, it was like he couldn't even see her," Donna said.

Barbra nodded. "I don't think he could," she replied thoughtfully.

"She looked like that little girl from before," Diana claimed, staring at the wall.

"Hey, look its Zatanna," Wally exclaimed pointing to one of the remaining women at the table.

"Oh my gosh, that's the dress I wore when I…" Zatanna trailed off as her younger clone stood up and walked over to a wall that morphed into a balcony. The Zatanna clone was wearing a blue evening gown that had a sash thrown over the right shoulder. She walked to the edge of the balcony and looked out over the landscape. Another, younger Bruce stepped out of the shadows and over to Zatanna where he leaned on the balcony. "Came to say good bye," Zatanna asked the Bruce clone.

"Yes," he replied.

"It was nice while it lasted, can't say I didn't see this coming though," Zatanna sighed still watching the landscape.

"You're welcome anytime," Bruce replied.

"And you are too, come to some of my shows will you! It will do my publicity great if you showed up," Zatanna said with a small smile.

Bruce nodded, "I'll tell the press what a great magician you are," he answered, giving her a small smirk.

At this Zatanna turned to him with a shocked expression on her face, "You would do that," she asked.

"Why not, I've nothing to loose, and you have all to gain," He said disappearing back into the shadows leaving the astonished Zatanna clone staring after him. She slowly disappeared like the others.

Everyone turned to Zatanna.

"What was that about," Jason asked.

"That's when we became friends, just friends," Zatanna answered looking at the wall were her other self vanished.

"I take it this was after you guys were together," Barbra questioned.

"Yeah," Zatanna nodded.

"Hey, is that Lois," Tim asked incredulously pullings everyone's focus. The second to last woman at the table had stood up; she was wearing a dark purple business suit with her hair up in a bun.

"Yeah, but what's she doing here," Clark asked his mouth hanging open.

The Lois walked to the same wall as Zatanna had and the wall faded into nothing, the whole west side of the room changed into a giant conference room; a large oval table was in the middle and probably seated fifty, twenty-five on each side, with one chair at the far end of the table that Bruce Wayne occupied. Lois sat at the end of the table bring her chair around so that it was opposite Bruce, with the table in between them. "You know why I'm here," Lois said careful to keep her voice even.

"Of course. I actually expected to be having this conversation earlier, I thought you'd have figured it out after a few weeks," Bruce replied flatly.

"I'm sorry I've disappointed," Lois replied with the same dead tone.

"You are far from a disappointment," Bruce said leaning forward on the table.

"Damn right," Clark muttered to himself.

"Thank you, I'm glad I'm better than all those stupid gold diggers," Lois rolled her eyes giving him a fake smile.

"I was referring to my first crush," Bruce replied cooly, setting his jaw in a hard line. Lois had nothing to say to this. "You're things are being mailed to your apartment," Bruce added sinking into his chair.

Lois' jaw dropped open, "How'd you know."

"You like attention and I don't have a lot of time to give it," Bruce shrugged giving her a smirk.

Lois let out a low frustrated sigh; "Don't miss me too much," she said sarcastically.

"Your charm, looks, brain, and self righteousness are all the qualities I love and will miss," Bruce said seriously.

"Tell Alfred goodbye for me," Lois said standing up. As she walked to a set of double doors she turned around and stated flatly, "I don't think I'll ever meet anyone as good you," and with that her and the conference room melted away.

"That was when Lois broke up with Bruce," Shayera said.

"How do you know," Clark asked.

"Ladies Night," Shayera replied.

"Okay so how do we get out of here," Dick asked.

Tim stopped his brother, "Wait let's see what happened between Selina and Bruce."

"What are you talking about," Dick asked his adopted brother.

"That last woman at the table," Tim said pointing, "It's Selina."

"He's right," Cass said following his gaze.

"She's the last one, so after she disappears we should be able to get out of here," Kent said.

"Let us wait and see," Inza said.

Selina stood up in full Catwoman regalia, her heels clicking as she cross the expanse. Her green eyes shown brightly as she strutted over to a wall that shifted into a scene with a sulking Batman who was leaning over the edge of a building watching the streets of his city. "Hhhello love," Selina purred, draping her self over Batman's body.

"What do you want," Batman growled.

"You," Selina whispered into his ear, Batman stiffened and stood shaking Selina off of his shoulders.

"Leave," Batman said coldly.

"Why? I came here just to see you," Selina said rapping her arms around Batman's neck.

Batman pushed her away from his chest, "Get out of my city."

"But I have no one to play with," Selina pouted.

"Get. Out. Of. My. City." Batman said spitting each word out with a cold hard voice, "Better yet get out of my life."

This took Catwoman by surprise, "What," she asked dazed. "You heard me. Get. Out. Of. My. City. And. Life. Now." Batman said menacingly taking a step toward a tensing Catwoman. "Cat got your tongue," Batman asked.

"You can't make me leave," Catwoman said regaining some of her composer. Before Selina could blink Batman had her up against the roof exit with his forearm on her neck, her feet no longed touching the roof. Selina struggled against the hold; her hands gripped Batman's hand trying to loosen the hold.

"You don't want me to make you leave," Batman said quietly causing Catwoman to think he would actually hurt her.

Catwoman hoarsely replied, barely getting the words to form, "Why…are...you..doing this?"

"You've done far too much damage," Batman said; he released Catwoman and she crumpled to the roof massaging her throat, "You've let Catwomn take over your life and she doing too much damage to both Selina and my city. You have twenty-four hours," Batman warned jumping off the roof. The scene dissolved and the heroes were left in the empty room.

"Wow. Didn't know Bats had so many girl problems," Wally said.

"Guy's living a tough life," John said.

"It is not over, cover your ears!" J'onn commanded. The heroes didn't ask questions and less than a second later screams filled the room. They were all female tones that were high and shrill and filled with either tears or rage. Each of the screams expressing their displeasure with Bruce Wayne.

After the screams died down the heroes slowly stood, hands still over their ears. J'onn nodded his head and everyone removed their hands from their ears.

Wally cringed, "I've never heard so many bad words from girls in my whole life."

"What was all that about," Kent asked.

Dick rolled his shoulders, "I believe we just over heard all of Bruce's dates break up with him."

"We didn't over hear it, I'm sure the whole world heard those screams," Shayera grumbled.

Barbra shrugged, "At least we don't have to her the sound of the slaps."

"What are you talking about," John asked an eyebrow raised.

"The women Bruce dates may look weak, but they know how to slap, and it's all really loud," Barbra explained. Wally, Jason, and John all rubbed their checks unconsciously.

"Ow," Wally said as if he'd just been smacked.

"No offense Wally but you have no idea how much it hurts," Dick said.

"And you would," Tim laughed sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Never said I did, I just see the red hand mark on his check," Dick shrugged.

"We're back were we started," Diana announced looking around, the faint eerie light still just barely illuminating the space, the ground still covered in mist.

"Hey look, more green mist," Wally said pointing to a small patch of green mist. He ran into it and disappeared, the others followed reluctantly and were swallowed up by the mist.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **So how did you like it? Please review, constructive criticism welcomed.

**-Jopo :)**


	5. I Never Knew Bruce was Ticklish

**Author: **JoPo

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening:** The heroes are in Batman's mind.

**Note: **You'll recognize some of this from the movies. This has been updated and edited as of 10/1/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 5: I Never Knew Bruce was Ticklish**

"Where are we," John asked amazed.

"It's so beautiful," Donna commented.

"We're in the central rose garden, Martha's rose garden, but I've never seen it so alive and…and vivid," Barbra answered.

The group was on a wide brick path that was surrounded by tall bushes of roses. In the middle was a huge fountain with two larger-than-life tiger statues circling the six levels of a tearing fountain; a giant eagle was perched on the top and looked over the area with a proud and noble aurora. The water was cascading down each level of the tears, splashing small droplets of water onto the granite, prowling tigers.

The roses were beautiful, each one a bright, radiant hue of red, pink, yellow, or white, with a soft glow surrounding the blossom creating shadows in the depths of the bloom giving each rose a dark evil aurora, but still having a peaceful and pulchritudinous look. The petals were like silk beneath the heroes' fingers and the fragrance was something out of a fairy tale, it was sweet and enchanting and refreshingly soothing making the heroes forget about all their troubles and bringing calm to their thoughts. (N/A pulchritudinous - physically beautiful).

The heroes where pulled out of their ravine by a small yelp and a tiny giggle.

A very young Bruce, no older than five, came running down the path being chased by his father while his mother trailed behind giggling all the while. The heroes followed the family down the rose path, emerging from the garden, the heroes where rendered speechless at the sight before them. A flat plateau of bright green grass unfolded itself in every direction for miles, at the edge of the plateau sat sturdy Maple and Beech trees, and over the plateau was the setting sun illuminating the clouds so that the whole expanse looked like a painting. The family of three could be seen sitting on the lawn watching the sunset.

"Hey dad," Bruce asked his father.

"Hmmm," his father responded.

"What are you going to do with the financial support the C.D.A. is giving Wayne Enterprise for the community economical structure," Bruce question innocently.

"Well, I'm going to ask the board to invest it in the hospitals, orphanages, and homeless shelters for all the people in Gotham who aren't as fortunate as us," his father replied.

"Hey! No talking business when the sun is setting," Bruce's mother interjected.

"Sorry," Thomas apologized leaning over to kiss his wife.

"Tag, you're it," Bruce exclaimed jumping up and running away from his parents.

"Hey, not fair!" Thomas called getting up in pursuit of his son.

"Finally some peace and quiet," Martha sighed loudly so that her voice carried to husband and child.

As the last glow of the sunset faded into darkness Bruce and Thomas snuck up behind Martha and jumped out at her, "Boo!" they shouted. Martha gave a small scream before lunging toward Bruce and grabbing at his sides, Bruce began to frantically twist and turn to escape his mother's grasp, laughing the entire time. She was tickling him and soon after she started Thomas joined in. The scene slowly faded and the heroes reemerged in the vast dark, mist covered area they were in before.

"I never knew Bruce was ticklish," Dick said more to himself than anyone else.

"He was genius even as a kid," John commented aloud, still in awe of the young Bruce.

"It doesn't surprise me," Jason replied.

"Is that a car," John asked pointing to two headlights that were approaching the heroes.

"What the hell is a car doing here," Shayera asked warily.

"It's just like Cari's car," Donna said reaching out to touch the car. As soon as Donna's finger tips touched the cool metal the heroes were teleported to a dungy, dark street, standing next to the same car that Donna had touched. On the right side of the car was a restaurant with two men in suits standing by the doors, up the street a little ways was a homeless man standing next to a fire barrel warming his hands, he had a grey beard that match hair peeking out under a dirty old hat. Around the rest of the street were more homeless men and women with clothes hanging on clothes lines and makeshift tents that were acting as houses with fires scattered in the mix; small children were sitting close to their mothers.

"It's Bruce," Diana said looking at the man in the passenger seat of the car, he looked younger, his early twenties, the girl next to him was the same girl who had burned in front of him previously, she looked the same age as Bruce. Their conversation could be heard.

"We all know where he is, he doesn't keep it a secret. As long as he keeps the bad people rich and the good people scared, no one'll touch him. Good people like your parents, who'll stand against injustice, they're gone. Without them Gotham is doomed, we have no one to stand up for this city Bruce," the girl said.

"There will always be people who stand against injustice, you just have to dig deep enough. But Rachel, I don't want you to get the wrong impression, I'm not like my parents," Bruce replied glancing out the window.

"What? Of course you are." Rachel exclaimed.

"No I'm not. Rachel you don't get it. I've wanted to kill him ever since it happened. I've planned his death hundreds of time each more painful that the last, and I can't stop it," Bruce snapped.

Rachel reached out and slapped Bruce across the face, her hand leaving a red mark. "You're father would be ashamed of you!"

The light in Bruce's eyes vanished and they darkened to a near black, "Don't you ever bring my parents into my problems. He is the reason my father can't be ashamed of me, because he took them from this world!" Bruce exited the car and slammed the door ignoring Rachel as she sped off.

Bruce turned to the restaurant and entered, the heroes following. Bruce attempted to sit down in front of a man in his mid forties in a cream colored suit, but two large body guards stopped him.

"You're taller than you look in the tabloids, Mr. Wayne," the man in the cream colored suit noted. The body guards patted Bruce down. "No gun? I'm insulted," the man said. Bruce sat down and the man spoke again, "You could've just sent a thank-you note, but you know, coming to see me personally, wow, this is a surprise."

"I didn't come here to thank you," Bruce snarled, "I came to show you that not everyone in Gotham's afraid of you."

"Only those who know me, kid," the man replied. "Look around you. There are three cop and a judge here and I wouldn't have a second's hesitation blowing your head off in front of them," The man said pulling out a gun and directing it at Bruce. "Now, that's power you can't buy. That's the power of fear," the man said setting the gun on the table.

"I'm not afraid of you," Bruce snapped, his eyes cold.

"That's because you have nothing to lose. But think again Mr. Wayne, what about you're butler or that sweet girl in the DA's office? You have so much to lose, just like everyone else from the high class world. You think because you're parents were killed you've seen the ugly side of life, but you haven't. You're Bruce Wayne, the prince of Gotham. You'd have to go miles to meet someone who didn't know your name." The man paused and took a sip of his drink.

"Don't try and prove to me you're something you're not, I can see right through any act you throw my way. Kudos for coming down here though, pretty brave, unlike your father. In the joint, Chill told me your father begged for mercy…Begged…Like a dog." The man said the last four words with much as clarity and calmness as he could.

Bruce's face began to boil with rage, but before he could get a word out, the two body guards carried him out and threw him on the ground. Standing, Bruce approached the grey haired man by the fire barrel. The heroes followed.

"Should've tipped better," the man commented. Bruce tossed his wallet in the fire after taking out a large roll of cash, all hundreds, and held it out to the man. "For what," the man asked.

"Your coat," Bruce nodded.

"Okay," the man said removing his coat, it was light brown and covered in holes and caked in mud, the seams were ripping and it had lost four buttons. Bruce pulled off his own coat and was about to toss it into the fire, but the man protested, "Hey, hey. Let me have it," the man pulled the coat on, lifting his shoulders up and down feeling its weight and letting it settle on his shoulders, "It's a nice coat."

"Be careful with that," Bruce warned, "They're gonna come looking for me."

"Who," the man asked.

"Everyone," Bruce said; then he walked away.

The man looked down at Bruce's coat, "It's…it's a nice coat."

The heroes blinked and found themselves back in the ghost land.

"Hey, what is that," Wally said pointing to a soft blue light in the distance.

"Don't Wally," John said warningly.

"No, he's right it's getting closer," Donna said.

As the dim light got closer to the heroes they noticed it was an orb much like the ones Kent, Zatanna, and Jason had conjured up. The orb slowly lowered it's self into the midst of the heroes. Wally took a step towards it, but was stopped by Shayera's arm; she gave him a don't-even-think-about-it look. Clark reached his had out and the orb jumped to his fingers. It let off a flash of light that blinded the heroes and then disappeared leaving the heroes in what looked like a drive-in movie theater. There were no cars just a single, plain wooden chair that sat in front of the giant screen.

"Where is everybody," Wally asked.

"I seriously doubt that Bruce has people watching movies in his brain," Cass replied sarcastically.

A projection beam shot onto the screen and a film started. It was portrayed in black and white. The words Our Family Memories shown brightly on the screen.

"Oh no," Barbra said.

Dick grabbed his brother's arm, "Tim, come on, you don't need to see this," he said steering his adopted brother behind the other heroes, Barbra followed.

"What's wrong," Kent questioned.

"This is when the Joker captured Tim," Cass said staring at the screen, "It happen awhile after I arrived and Dick had left. We've all seen this movie, it's disgusting. Tim does not need to see it, he had a first had experience, that was more then enough."

Inza walked through the heroes to Tim. She ripped the hem of her shirt off and tied it around a protesting Tim so that his eyes and ears were covered; she placed a spell on it. Barbra gave her a small smile and Inza returned to the front of the group and resumed watching the movie.

The screen showed a card being thrown on the ground and a set of legs appearing. A hand came down and pulled the camera to the hand's face, the Joker looked into the camera smiling wickedly. The Joker turned the camera to the side to reveal a row of chemicals and sharp tools on a table. Next to the table was an eleven-year-old Tim sitting blindfolded and tied to a chair. The scene faded.

The screen flashed _Day Two_ and reveled Tim in full Robin gear strapped down to a metal examination table with a bright light hanging above him, he struggled to get free. The Joker grinned wildly, clamping jump cables to the edge of the table; Tim squirmed harder. "This is what you get my little birdie," the Joker informed Tim walking around the table to a control panel slowly twisting a small red knob.

Sparks flew from the jumper cables sending electricity to the table shocking Batman's protégé. Tim's mouth clenched and his eyes closed. "Tut tut, I was hoping you'd sing; Robins sing don't they?" The Joker asked turning the knob again. Tim flinched, but didn't let a sound pass over his lips. "The Robin will sing now," the Joker exclaimed angrily twisting the knob as far as it wound go.

Tim screamed, it was a horrifying sound; the Joker cackled crazily. Tim's eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body twisted and jerked against the straps restraining him. The table hummed with the amount of electricity running through it.

_Day Five_ flashed and a thin, disheveled Tim stumbled from the examination table. He wore a plain white shirt and a pair of ripped jeans, his face uncovered. He grabbed the control panel for support, the Joker offered his hand to Tim who slapped it away weakly, the Joker cackled and walked out of the frame. Tim fell to the floor and hugged his arms to his chest, he look as if he had just survived walking through a desert for days with out water. Tim closed his eyes, but they snapped open a second later when the Joker walked back in. Tim gasped as the Joker tossed a large crow bar from hand to hand; the crow bar stopped in the Jokers left hand and swung down onto Tim's head. The scene faded.

_Day Seven_ rolled across the screen and melted away. Tim was lying on a stone floor looking up into the face of the Joker. "So are you going to tell little ol' me or will I force the answer out of you, it's your choice," the Joker grinned eerily down at Tim.

"I rather die, Batman will come here and kick your ass," Tim spat horsely.

Joker's grin grew, "You just made my day." Tim's eyes narrowed and the Joker reached behind him and was handed a red hot poker, "If I said this won't hurt a bit I'd be lying to you and I don't lie. Oh wait, yes I do. I guess that means it won't hurt at all!" he cackled. As the poker came in contact of skin, Tim screamed, the Joker cocked his head to the side and pulled the poker off of Tim, Tim just sat there, his arm where the poker had branded him twitching uncontrollably; the Joker shrugged his shoulders and brought the poker back to Tim's skin. He screamed again.

_Day Eight_ flashed across the screen and the Joker had Tim strapped to what looked like a dentist chair. The Joker was attempting to force random chemicals and toxins down his throat Tim tried to regurgitate them, but the Joker finally shoved a funnel in his mouth so that he had no choice, but to swallow. "Batman will come…and he will kick…your sorry ass…back to Arkham," Tim gasped. The Joker cackled and slapped Tim across the face leaving a large red mark.

The Joker grabbed Tim's head forcing Tim to look at him, "Birdie, if your Batsy was coming to rescue you why isn't he here? You want to know why he isn't here; it's because you're a selfish little crybaby who just gets in Bats' way. To him you're just a burden, a brat who can't do anything. Bats' doesn't call you his ward, he calls you his pest, how'd he say it," the Joker paused and looked at the ceiling, thinking, "Oh yes! He says you a pest, the kind that just keep coming back, the ones you can't get rid of no matter how hard you try. You know, when I told him I was going to hunt you down he told me he would pay me if I could get rid of you for good."

"That's bullshit," Tim shouted in his hoarse voice.

"Such naughty words for such a young boy," The Joker laughed, the scene fading.

_Day Ten_ faded into a scene of Tim cowering in a corner hugging his body tightly, or what was left of it. Tim was all skin and bones; he looked as if he weighed ninety pounds, his fingers were skeleton like, as was the rest of his body. A sign was held up in front of the camera that read _Watch This. _A light appeared in the cell and a bread roll and a half full bottle of water were tossed into the cell. Nothing happened. The light flicked off and someone could be heard stomping up a stair case; as the foot steps faded Tim dove for the food and water. He sniffed the food once before shoving it into his mouth; he swallowed it whole and then closed his eyes in satisfaction. A minute later his eyes flew open and he started downing the water, his hands trembling so much that half of the water spilled down his chin to his chest.

_Day Thirteen_ flashed on the screen and Tim was hanging in the air, his hands chained above him to the ceiling, his feet barely brushing the ground. He looked like a skeleton. "Please excuse me if I do a bad job, I haven't done this for awhile," The Joker said eerily taking a rat out of his pocket. He began rubbing its fur along Tim's exposed skin, stopping after a few minutes. "That should do," the Joker said stepping back to admire his work; he leaned in and smelled Tim, "Oh this will work quite well."

The Joker left the room and returned a moment later with a very large snake, "I'll have you know I got this idea from that Bruce Wayne, he was talking about a bite mark he has on his arm and he said he was almost squeezed to death by an anaconda, and I thought 'what a great idea' so here we are, trying it our selves." The snake began to move in the Joker's arms and he quickly dropped it , moving to the far side of the wall brushing his suit off as if he could rid himself of the thoughts of the snake, "Damn slimy slithery creatures, I need to get Harley to deal with the snakes next time."

The snake slithered towards Tim smelling the air with its tongue. When it reached Tim it began rapping its self around Tim's leg and up his body. Tim was breathing hard as the snake climbed around Tim's torso; he was trying to stay calm.

"Tim's always been afraid of snakes," Cass slipped in her voice emotionless, her eyes never leaving the screen.

As the snake neared Tim's head Tim began jerking his body trying to shake the snake off. The snake pulled its head back and struck Tim's arm, biting down hard.

"No worries it's not poisonous, wouldn't want you to die now would we," the Joker grinned.

The snake twisted its body around Tim's squeezing all the while. Tim began gasping for breath as the anaconda tightened its grip. Tim finally caved in. "Batman…i-is…" Tim's was heaving.

The Joker's head shot up, "What's that birdie? You' finally going to tell little ol' me who Batsy is," the Joker waved a rat in front of the snake's head, it released Tim from it's vice grip and dropped to the floor following the rat into the shadows.

Tim wheezed inhaling as much oxygen as he could. The Joker stopped inches away from Tim's face, "Well tell me!" the Joker said excitedly, like a child on Christmas.

"Batman…Batman is," Tim began to cry, "Batman is Bruce Wayne."

The Joker stumbled back and fell into a chair, he doubled over as if in pain hugging his sides; he was laughing. "You're serious, I never would have guessed. Bruce "The Playboy, Price of Gotham" Wayne is Batman the Dark Knight of Gotham! …That makes you Tim Drake, I knew I recognized you."

Tim hung his head, you could see in his eyes that he no longer wanted to live; he looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

There was a loud bang and Batman burst through the wall creating a dust cloud, but the Joker was to fast for him, he pulled a small round disk out of his pocket and plastered it onto Batman's chest.

_Day Fourteen_ scrolled down the screen. Tim was lying on the table, but there was nothing restraining him, the Joker was turning the knob back and forth changing the amount of volts going to the table.

"It's perfect he feels no pain, watch me create my master piece Brucie," the Joker cackled, licking his lips hungrily. Bruce was only wearing sweat pants; his hands and feet spread apart, chained to the wall.

The Joker turned the knob as far as it would go, Tim's body jumping and twisting limply on the table. The Joker released the knob after a minute and Tim sat up. Tim's pupils and irises had both shrunk to nearly half their normal size, he was foaming at the mouth like a dog, and a wicked grin completed the look. He was pale as snow and his lip were purple, his brown hair had been dyed a rusty blond that had tints of green in it.

_Day Seventeen _rolled across the screen. Bruce was still chained to the wall, but he was covered in bruises and cuts. Bruce lifted his head when the Joker walked in, "May I present your executioner and my master piece, the Jester!"

The camera zoomed out to revel a doorway that Tim waled through. It didn't look like Tim, he was pale like the day before and his hair the same rusty green. He was skinnier than before, his neck was so small a bracelet would fit like a necklace; an index finger and a thumb could easily rap around his wrists and still have room.

Tim wore a dark purple and maroon suit, with a dark green tie. His eyes had large black circles painted around them and his mouth was enlarged with red paint. There was a crazy, devilish gleam in his eyes and his lips were curled up in a demented, unbalanced way, only moving once in awhile for his tongue to dart out and lick his lips.

Bruce's eyes widened momentarily, a fleeting glimpse of fear, anger, and grief. The Joker pulled a gun out of his pocket and handed it to Tim, Tim took it and his eyes rolled into the back of his head, his pupils reappearing a moment later; he giggled. The Joker cackled wildly, "Kill him my son, kill the Batman! Make your old man proud!" Tim lifted the gun and pointed it at Bruce.

Bruce spat out the gag, "Tim don't do it." Tim cocked his head to the side looking towards Bruce, insane and curious at the same time.

The Joker smiled, "Jester, the Batman is a bad man, he tried to kill me and Harley and Gotham and…you, he is a very bad man, kill him for your beloved father, will you?" Tim closed one eye and looked down the shaft of the gun at Batman.

"Tim don't do it! He's not your father, Jack Drake is! I am your mentor, I taught you how to fight, how to track down villains. Villains like the Joker, he's the one destroying Gotham, he's the one who tried to kill you, don't do it Tim," Bruce commanded with a hint of desperation.

Tim giggled; his giggle grew until it was laughter, a lunatic's laughter. The Joker laughed along with Tim, but stopped short at the crack of the gun firing. The Joker fell to his knees clutching his side where his hand was turning red, then he sprawled onto the floor; dead. Tim's hands shook violently and he collapsed on the floor, still cackling like a maniac, his laughter turning into sobs which turned into hysterics; Bruce tried to calm him down by talking to him, but nothing helped.

Minutes later Batgirl and Nightwing came crashing through the door. Barbra flew to the ball of bones on the floor that was Tim and held him tightly, cooing in his ear, telling him everything was fine and that they were all there to help. Dick unchained Bruce and Bruce punched the camera stopping the movie.

The heroes were speechless.

Clark was thinking about how angry Bruce was when Tim went missing and how he got angrier when they found Tim and brought him back, he'd never understood why Bruce wasn't happy to have his second protégé back in the manor safe and sound, but now he knew why and all he could do was feel terribly guilty about it

John never really saw Bruce as a kid person; he never saw himself as a kid person, but he had two wonderful children now. John could not believe Bruce had survived such an emotional scarring event, but he understood that Bruce would do anything to protect his children.

Donna was leaning into Dick's chest, trying to rid the horrible screams and images from her mind. She didn't know how anyone could do such a horrible thing, let alone to a child. She gripped Dick's shirt tighter.

Cass, a true daughter of Batman, showed no emotion; she was wearing a mask of steel. Cass remembered the Tim returned to the manor, a living skeleton that was her brother. He had screamed every time he slept, he had years of therapy, it took years for him to get back to his normal self, but even now he's more withdrawn and quieter than he was.

Inza held her husband's hand, crying hard. She wished she could have helped Tim, save him from his pain and torture, she looked at her husband and cried harder for Tim and for Bruce, she could almost feel their pain.

Dick stroked Donna's hair, it seemed to comfort him. He couldn't believe this happened. He'd seen the movie before; Bruce had a copy, he locked it away after he showed it to him, Barbra, Alfred and, Dr. Leslie Thomkins. It came back out when Cass discovered it, but it was locked away again. He wished he was there; he should have been there to help Tim, he shouldn't have let Tim go alone.

Jason was blank-faced, poor Tim was all he could think, over and over: poor Tim, poor Tim, poor Tim…

Kent could do nothing but comfort his wife, he liked Bruce and he knew Bruce was a very controlled man and that he cared for his sons dearly, but he was amazed at the calmness of Bruce during such a situation. He felt terrible, how could Bruce stand it, how did Tim survive that long. Kent knew anyone in the league would have caved way before Tim did, with the exception of Bruce himself, the other part-time league member would probably die before he gave away any information.

Wally was shaking, he had thrown-up twice during the movie. He loved kids and didn't know why someone would do such a thing; if anyone touched the kids at the orphanage he didn't know what he would do. He couldn't see how that Tim, the one in the movie, was the same one who was standing behind him blind-folded.

Shayera had been through torture, she knew all about it. Thanagarians could endure a lot of torture that would hurt them, like a human being whipped, but what Tim had gone through was much more than Shayera thought he could go through. If something happened to Rex or Sarah she knew she would do everything she could to get them back and to hurt their kidnapper. She'd move heaven and hell if she had to.

J'onn had seen his family and friends killed in front of him, but the worst part was when he watched his sons die. He knew his pain was similar to Bruce's, but he also knew it was completely different. J'onn had seen his sons die a quick painless death, which made it easier for him. It still hurt, but he didn't have to watch his sons being tortured, he didn't have to hear their screams of pain everyday, he didn't have to watch them become the enemy. He could only imagine Bruce's pain, imagining Bruce hearing Tim's screams echo in his head days, weeks, and years, after the incciedent.

Diana felt pity for Bruce; he had to watch his son be tortured in front of him when he couldn't do anything. She was learning more than she could ever imagine about Bruce and his family. Though not all of it she wanted to know. She could have been happy and blissfully ignorant of Tim's torture.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **So how did you like it? Please review, constructive criticism welcomed. I decided to toss the video of the Joker torturing Tim in here. Tim was eleven at the time.

**-Jopo :)**


	6. Be Careful for What You Wish For

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening:** The heroes are in Batman's mind.

**Note: **This has been updated and edited as of 10/2/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: ****Be Careful For What You Wish For**

The heroes were sitting in the faint eerie light that was barely illuminating the expanse. The blue grass was hard, stiff, and frost covered beneath their bodies. The mist still twisted and churned, roiling up like some savage monster, but now it was rapping itself around the heroes filling their lungs with ice cold air, making them shiver from the arctic like atmosphere. With the mist cloaking each hero it was hard for them to see each other, dark shapes were the only things visible. The mist was at chest height, rising no higher. The heroes sounded like ceramic tambourines: their teeth all chattered together, all those except for Cass and Diana.

"The Joker died in the movie, but he's still in Gotham, how does that work," John asked septically.

"The Joker in the movie was just a puppet, the Joker in Gotham now is the Joker that used that man as a tool. The puppet Joker did as he was told, everything was planned and organized by the Joker terrorizing Gotham now. The real Joker was pleased when Tim killed his puppet, because when that Joker kidnapped Tim he didn't follow the Joker's plan," Dick explained, from inside the mist.

"Who was that man that Bruce was talking to in the restaurant," Diana asked.

"Dunno," Tim shrugged although no one saw it.

"Not to sure," Dick said.

Barbra tapped her chin, "I've seen him before, but I can't place a name," she muttered.

"Falcony," Cass supplied sharply, her voice sounding distant.

"Who is Falcony," Inza asked.

"He was a drug and crime lord," Barbra explained.

"After _the_ murder, he grew in power and when Bruce came back from…when Bruce came back Falcony had gained so much power that even when the police knew where deals and exchanges would be held they didn't go after him, he was the first bad guy Bruce took out as Batman," Cass finished explaining for Barbra.

"What do you mean 'as Batman'," Wally questioned trying to peer at Cass through the mist.

"Bruce... took action before he became Batman," Cass replied cooly.

Green mist floated over the heroes and engulfed them. They appeared in a large ballroom, filled with men in tuxedos and women in long flowing evening gowns. Large sparkling chandlers hung down from the ceiling brightening the whole place, but giving it a soft ambiance. There was a small orchestra that filled the room with its lullaby.

"Hey, this is the Gereio Gala," Tim said looking around the room, "They have it here every year."

"I don't think we were around for this," Barbra said.

Dick glanced around, "What makes you say that?"

"The fact that Larry's over there removing himself and that lovely woman from the room," Barbra laughed, pointing to a brown haired guy, who looked near seventeen, leading a girl in a long red dress out a set of doors.

"That would explain your assumption," Dick chuckled.

"Who is Larry," Shayera asked.

"He's a small business owner now, but his daddy is big, and when Bruce took us to a gala where Babs first met him, poor Larry fell head over heels in love with her, he still is. He's always asking about her and sending her gifts. Babs has turned him down a million times, but he's persistent," Tim explained laughing. He leaned against Dick who was also laughing. Barbra pinched Tim's leg hard, he yowled in pain.

"Uncle, uncle," Tim said his face screwed up in agony.

"Well don't—" Barbra cut her self off and followed the eyes of the gala guests out to the long stretch of windows to a helicopter pad. A blue helicopter hovered a hundred feet above the pad getting ready to land.

The heroes turned to look at Cass who had choked out a cough.

"You okay, Cass," Tim asked uneasily.

There was a deep breath, "Yes." she paused and motioned to the helicopter a smirk pulling at her lips, "Alfred told me about this gala. Watch."

The heroes looked back out the windows to the helicopter that was just touching down on the pad. A large gold W and E were painted on the tail of the helicopter.

"So it's a Wayne Enterprise helicopter, what about it," Dick questioned eyeing Cass' smirk curiously.

"Wait for it," Cass commanded; she gave them the same smirk Bruce did.

When the helicopter was firmly on the pad the occupants stepped down, their hair whipping around them as the blades of the helicopter still spun. There was a line of five people walking out of the helicopter, four females and one male. The women all looked like ninety pound models, the only difference was the hair and eye color, and apparel. The man was in the middle, Bruce, was in a sharply cut tux wearing his playboy grin, his arms were rapped around the waists of the two girls nearest him. The line walked through the doors and paused. Bruce waved to a few people and then raised a hand silencing the room, "Ladies and Gentlemen I'm oh so sorry I'm late. Frank, Sue thank you for hosting such a wonderful party," the room applauded, "and now that I'm here the party can officially start." There was a wave of light laughter.

"Is there anything special about this party 'cause this's stupid," John huffed.

"Are you kidding, Bruce just walked in with four girls, _four_, and they are super hott, how can you say this is stupid," Wally asked incredulously.

"Bruce always has dates like this," Dick said glancing at Wally.

"Are you serious; we're talking about the same person right, Batman a.k.a. Bruce Wayne," Wally questioned.

"Yep the one and only," Dick said flatly.

"So you're telling me Bats has hot dates likes this every time he goes out," Wally asked.

Dick nodded, "Yeah."

"Don't you read the tabloids," Tim asked.

"Wow, I never thought I'd say this, but I envy Bats," Wally said ignoring Tim's question.

"No you don't," Cass said, "if anyone other than Bruce had his life, they would be dead, whether from stress, lack of food, lack of sleep, exhaustion, loss of blood, kidnapping, physical pain, mental pain, or anything else that goes on in Bruce's life; Bruce is a lot stronger than he looks."

"Okay," John muttered rolling his eyes a bit.

"J'onn, are you okay," Diana asked.

"I'm worried," J'onn replied.

"Why," Clark asked.

"Batman's defenses have not done anything yet," J'onn answered.

"Isn't that a good thing," John asked.

J'onn shook his head, "I am unsure, I would be more at ease if they did act."

The room went fuzzy momentarily then cleared. "What was that," Jason asked.

"I believe they're on our trail," Cass said in reference to Bruce's mental defenses.

A ripple went through the room—like someone dropping a stone in a pool—followed by another that passed through freezing the room. There was a loud grinding sound and a dust cloud spilled into the frozen room from the east wall. The grinding stopped and the room went silent and then scrapping could be heard. The heroes looked to the dust cloud to see eight black figures coming through a hole in the wall. As the dust cleared the heroes realized the figures were silhouettes of tall skeletal figures. The large silhouettes charged the heroes.

"Why the hell does Bats have creepy black men in his mind," Wally yelled over a pounding that shook the floor.

"We can take 'em," John said confidently.

The silhouettes attacked the heroes. They bit, kicked, punched, cut, and threw. The heroes tried retaliating, but the silhouettes easily avoided the blows.

"I can't hit 'em," Wally wailed.

"Neither can I," Clark agreed.

"Same here," Shayera grunted.

"They're immune to magic," Zatanna called out having tried to capture a silhouette with a spell.

Jason dodged a swipe of a clawed hand, "What are we going to do?" His voice was higher than usual, panic seeping into it.

"This situation is out of range of my capabilities, I have never experienced anything like these creatures," J'onn answered solemnly.

"Dick behind you," Donna yelled over her shoulder.

Dick ducked quickly, and rolled away from one of the silhouettes, "Thanks!"

"Kent there is a lead," Cass said running toward a dark figure by the hole in the wall.

"I see him," Kent replied.

"_Düna kílca masis a hincâ_," the figure said raising his hands above his head. He repeated the line and flashes of light were directed at each of the heroes. They all screamed in pain. Their chests were squeezed and their lungs fill with water. Their heads met the hard floor as they fell to the ground.

The room went silent as the heroes laid motionless.

* * *

Diana blinked trying to adjust to the light, something wasn't right and she knew it, the air wasn't heavy anymore, she wasn't cold. When her eyes adjusted to the light she looked around to see Bruce lying in on the medical table still covered in wounds, the machines around him beeping slowly. "It will pass," a voice said. Diana whipped her head around, seeing Cass watching her from the other side of the room. "What will—Ahh!" Diana clutched her throbbing head.

"The headache, the chest pain, the other pain," Cass answered.

Diana put her head between her knees and rubbed her temples, she took a deep breathe, but stopped instantly, her lungs were burning, it felt like they were on fire, and every time her chest expanded it seemed like her ribs were cracking. Any movement she made her body scream in agony. "How long have you been awake," Diana asked, her voice muffled by her knees.

"Sixteen minutes," Cass replied.

"So this will pass soon," Diana asked.

"No," Cass replied, Diana opened her mouth to speak, but Cass beat her, "I have a high tolerance for pain, I played two for flinching when I was younger."

"Oh," Diana said. She slowly raised her head, but it sent waves of pain through her, making her grip the arms of the chair so hard she crushed them.

"Best not to move," Cass advised.

"Ugh!" Diana grunted. She very, very slowly lowered herself into a slouching position, resting her head on the back of the chair. Only moving her eyes, she looked around seeing the others lying limply in their chairs. A small movement caught her eye; it was J'onn. She receded into her mind so she could think, while Cass told J'onn not to move. She thought about everything she'd seen in Bruce's mind. She thought about how hard it must have been to help Tim recuperate. She pitied him for the loss of his parents; they seemed like such wonderful people; when she's seen the smile on the younger Bruce's face she set a goal to get that smile to appear again. Then she thought about the five women, they all had a connection to Bruce, a big connection, something along the lines of…lovers? She wished she could have the same connection they all had with him and maybe she would, after all, Tim she had 'gotten' to him; the thought made her smile. Voices brought her out of her ravine; the others were awake.

"I hurt," Wally whimpered hugging his body.

Dick groaned, "We all do."

"Cass looks fine," Wally whined.

"Cass played two for flinching," Tim sighed, he too was holding his chest.

Wally raised an eyebrow, confusion clearly written in his features, "What?"

"What are we going to do now," John asked grimacing, his head resting on the back of his chair.

"Recuperate," Jason answered from behind his hands.

Shayera massaged her wings, "What happened?"

"Bruce's defenses kicked in," Barbra replied with her eyes closed.

"This is where the saying 'be careful for what you wish for,' comes into play," Donna said frowning at her pain, "Not that I blame you J'onn."

"I agree with Jason, we should rest before going back in," Clark said rolling his shoulders and stretching out his chest.

"I'm not going to argue there," Kent agreed rubbing his temples.

"No protest," Inza mumbled.

"Same," Zatanna agreed from between her knees.

"Well that settles it, I'm going to get food," Wally exclaimed. Wally pushed himself out of his chair and collapsed to the floor his legs felling like jello and pain shooting through his spine. "Changed my mind, I'll rest first," he whimpered.

* * *

The next day Diana found herself climbing to her small haven in the Watchtower's most highest point, only two people knew about it, her and Bruce. She found it by following Batman after a mission, she smiled at the memory. When she reached her haven she found another figure sitting down, legs dangling over the edge with their arms resting on the middle railing, their head resting on their arms looking out the large windows into the black abyss that sparkled with twinkling starts. Diana lowered herself into the same position, watching the starts. She offered a piece of her chocolate to Cass.

"Milk chocolate," Cass asked never taking her eyes off the stars.

"Yes, it's the only way I eat plain chocolate," Diana answered.

"Thanks," Cass replied popping a piece of chocolate into her mouth.

Diana took a moment to gather her thoughts before broaching her question to the younger girl, "Do you know about Bruce's relationships with those women?" Cass slowly turned to look at Diana, her eyes blank. "I'm sorry I should not have asked, I am out of place," Diana said looking down at her dangling feet.

"It's fine. When I asked Alfred about Bruce's love life, he was speechless, apparently I'm the only one who has ever asked, I guess Tim, Dick, and Barbra took the subject up with Bruce. I knew Bruce wouldn't give me an answer so I turned to Alfred and even though he knew Bruce would be pissed, he told me anyway." Cass said, the corner of her mouth curling, the closet thing Diana thought she'd get to a smile. "He'll be mad, but I'll tell you what I know, but he does like you." Cass finished with a small shrug.

At the last sentence Diana raised her eyebrows.

"The five lucky girls," Cass said, it was quiet and sounded as if she meant the words for her ears only.

"Lucky," Diana asked.

"They were able to sink their claws into Bruce for a month if not more; that's a pretty amazing feat if you compare it to his tabloid track record," Cass explained cooly.

Diana couldn't hold back her grin, "I bet it is."

"The brunette in the light purple dress," Cass said jumping right into her exclamation. "Her name was Talia al Ghul, the daughter of Raas al Ghul."

"Didn't her father die," Diana asked.

"Yes, he died in Gotham, he tried polluting the air with one of Crane's toxins and he almost succeeded, but Bruce caused the train to de-rail and it killed him. He was one of Bruce's trainers and after awhile Raas decided he was 'worthy' for his daughter. They were affectionate, it was not love, but it was close. Bruce didn't hear from Talia until two days after Raas' death. He hasn't seen her since, though her father was revived and has been causing the occasional problem," Cass finished.

Diana nodded knowing who Raas was.

"The locket she gave him is hanging around her picture in the library," Cass said, "A picture of her and Raas."

Diana nodded again. "Who was the girl who caught fire," she asked cringing slightly recalling the burning flesh of the young woman.

"Rachel," Cass answered, "She grew up with Bruce, they were playmates, her mother was a maid at the manor. She was the first girl Bruce fell for. Before he went off to college they had a fling. Bruce came back four years later for the hearing of Joe Chill and Rachel ended what was left of their relationship. Years later he came back and she discovered Batman and claimed she couldn't be with him because of it. The next year she began dating Harvey Dent, though she still had feelings for Bruce. Harvey asked her to marry him and she said yes. Bruce oblivious to the engagement, was prepared to hang up the mantel for her, but then the Joker made his first appearance." Cass passed eating another piece of chocolate.

"The Joker kidnapped Harvey and Rachel and locked them up at different sides of the city. Batman had to save them both before they were blow to bits, but the bombs were set for the same time. Bruce went after Harvey trusting the police to save Rachel; they didn't reach her on time and she died. Harvey was pushed over the edge after her death and blamed Batman for it, he then became Two Face. Rachel wrote Bruce a letter before she died saying that she wouldn't wait for him and that she was going to marry Harvey."

"Rachel wanted to marry Harvey but she still held feeling for Bruce? And after her death Harvey became Two Face?" Diana asked confirming everything she'd just processed. Cass nodded. "Alright. So what happened between him and Zatanna, to me it seemed their relationship wasn't as intimate as I've seen."

Cass nodded again, "They had known each other for a year before they began dating, their relationship only lasted two months."

"Lois told me of her and Bruce's relationship," Diana said, "And I prefer it if we didn't discuss Selina."

"Then let's discuss you," Cass replied. Diana raised an eyebrow in question. "The relationship Bruce is denying you and himself," she explained.

Diana smirked triumphantly. "I knew it," she whispered to herself.

The corners of Cass' mouth pulled up, "It is easy to read Bruce when he has finished talking to you, he gets frustrated more quickly, often he never says anything like someone had stolen his attention," Cass' lips twitched again. "Alfred has been trying to get him to ask you out for the past three years."

"But I met him five years ago," Diana said perplexed.

Cass nodded, "You did not meet Alfred until two years later."

"Alfred should not be subjecting himself to Bruce's anger like that, I know he get mad when its brought up," Diana said with a slight grin.

Cass shrugged. "We believe you would be good for him."

Diana turned to the dark haired girl in question, "We?"

"Tim, Dick, Barbra, Donna, Alfred, Leslie, Lucius, myself, and the others who know you and Bruce," Cass answered.

"This is the first I've heard," Diana said, "Clark really?"

Cass nodded.

'_J'onn,' _Diana called through her mind.

'_Yes,'_ J'onn replied.

'_Can you link me to Clark,'_ Diana asked.

Cass eyed Diana as if she knew what she was doing.

'_Yes Diana,'_ Clark answered. J'onn exited the conversation but kept the link.

'_Do you believe I am good for Bruce,'_ Diana asked.

'_Uh…um,'_ Clark hesitated.

'_Clark,'_ Diana clicked.

'_,_' Clark said quickly.

'_Thanks J'onn,_' Diana said.

"I told you," Cass said cooly.

"I did not think Clark had an opinion about Bruce's love life," Diana shrugged.

* * *

Everyone was gathered in the cafeteria.

"Are we going back in there any time soon," Shayera asked.

"How dare you asked such a question when I'm eating! Are you trying to ruin my appetite," Wally asked incredulously.

"We will make another attempt tomorrow night. Our bodies need to heal; I am afraid this will get harder each time we enter his mind, if we don't find the toxin with ten days I fear Bruce will not wake up," J'onn said gravely.

"I talked to Alfred," Barbra said aloud, "Selina went back to Tampa Bay. He's said that Bruce Wayne is officially taking a vacation in the Caribbean to cover for his absences. Dick is going to Gotham to make Batman's rounds, Bludhaven and the Titans are also covered; I took care of all our charges."

"I suggest we all get as much rest as we can before we go back; Jason, Zatanna, Kent, tomorrow we will go over some plans for separating the group," J'onn said.

"Are you insane? We're splitting up?" Wally asked incredulously, his eyes wide wit horror.

"That's what he said," John sighed.

"You aren't scared are you Wally," Shayera taunted.

Wally swallowed. "Of course I'm scared! I'm going into the most feared man's mind and I'm doing it in a small group. Have you ever seen a horror film? That's how they get you—when you split up—they pick you off one by one," Wally exclaimed.

"Who's they," Shayera asked stunned by the Speedster's outburst.

"I don't know, the bad guys, the monsters, take your pick," Wally said throwing his hands in the air.

"You watch too much TV Wally," Tim laughed.

"Just you wait, let's see who's laughing when you're the first to go," Wally snapped back.

Tim's eyes widened in horror and then he burst into peals of laughter. "You…thought...I...believed…you," Tim gasped still laughing.

"You should have seen your face Wally," Dick chuckled.

"Oh come on! Dick you're supposed to be on my side, what happened to the good ol' days," Wally asked.

"I forgot about them," Dick shrugged. Wally threw up his hands in defeat.

"We should see how the MetroTower is holding up," Clark suggested.

"A good idea," J'onn said.

"I'll go with you," Wally said.

"No," all the heroes said at once.

"Why not," Wally asked.

"You have a large mouth Mr. West," Barbra said.

Wally scoffed. "I have a fiancée," he defended.

"We will call her, she knows you're the Flash anyway, we can both talk to her," Barbra said.

"What if she thinks I'm sleeping with you," Wally asked. Dick and Tim started laughing, the other heroes grinned, and the corners of Cass' mouth twitched.

Barbra's face turned livid red, "I will make sure that is the last thing she thinks," Barbra said quietly, "How about we go see her," Barbra wheeled to the door, "now," she commanded.

Wally's was twitching nervously, "Uh…no thanks?"

"To bad! You don't have a choice anymore," Barbra snapped. Wally gulped, slowly standing and approaching the wheeled hacker.

"Dead man walking," Dick snickered saluting Wally as he passed.

"Good luck, you're going to need it," Tim giggled.

"He really shouldn't have said that, Flash best not mention this to Chris," Cass said. Tim and Dick looked at each other and grinned broadly.

Their heads knocked into each other, "Oh no you don't," Donna said standing over them. "You're not going to ruin that relationship too."

"What time will we meet tomorrow," Diana asked turning to J'onn.

"Five," J'onn replied. _'I would like you and to go together tomorrow, just the two of you if you have no quarrel,' _J'onn said telepathically.

'_I'm fine with that,' _Diana sent back.

There was a long pause, _'What is it Diana,'_ J'onn asked sensing her hesitation.

'_I was just wondering, do you think he'll make it. Honestly,' _Diana asked.

'_I do not know, I am unsure about any outcome at this point,' _J'onn replied.

The entire time they were communicating with each other Cass watched them closely, her abliity to read people allowing her understand their topic of conversation. Cass' lips set into a hard line as she read the look in J'onn's eyes.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **What did you think good, bad? Hope you enjoyed it. _Please review _I don't care if it's a one word review, I'd just like something to work with_, _constructive criticism always welcomed.

**-Jopo :)**


	7. They Split Up What Will They Find

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening:** The heroes are preparing to reenter Batman's mind.

**Note: **You'll recognize some of this from the movies. This has been updated and edited as of 10/2/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: ****Dad was a Wonderful Father**

"So all we're doing is running through as many things in Bats' mind as we can, looking for the toxin before we're discovered," Wally inquired rubbing his arms trying to stay warm in the artic atmosphere that was Batman's mind.

"Yes, but be on your guard, he is more aware of our presence," J'onn cautioned.

"Well that's comforting. Why couldn't I stay behind," Wally whined.

"Would you like to come with Diana and I," Cass asked flatly.

"Um...No," Wally replied shuffling his feet.

"We should begin," Kent suggested loud enough to get everyone's attention.

J'onn nodded, "Agreed."

Diana and Cass, being the first and the smallest group headed north into the dark, cold, mist filled abyss. Wally, John, Shayera, Jason, and Zatanna going west into the nightmare that lay in front of them. Barbra, Clark, Tim, and J'onn disappearing to the northeast. Donna, Inza, Dick, and Kent leaving east.

* * *

(Wally, John, Shayera, Jason, and Zatanna)

"This place gives me the creeps, Bats' really needs to redecorate or at least think happy thoughts," Wally whispered, his body quivering in the eerie atmosphere.

"Will you stop complaining," John said tiredly.

"Look at the bright side—" Shayera began to say.

Wally cut her off. "Bright side? What Bright Side? I'm in Bats' mind, this is the man who takes pleasure in seeing me in pain, on probation, or scared shitless; so please enlighten me on this 'bright side' you speak of," Wally exclaimed exasperatedly.

"I didn't know you knew such big words; enlighten, wow you really are growing up," John joked, a cheesy smile plastered on his face. Wally ignored the comment.

"You get to find things out about Bruce without having to ask him, we could find some juicy memories," Shayera said as if that explained it all. Wally paused.

"Don't encourage him," John sighed.

"Too late," Shayera shrugged.

"He'll probably tear you limb from limb if he finds out you've told anyone about what you see. And he will find out, I mean it is Bruce we're talking about. I'm mean he knows who you are, where you live, where you work, how to find you, who your family is, and all those other things," Jason pointed out. Wally shivered as Jason relayed all this information to him, he snuggled down into his coat looking for comfort, but finding none.

After a few minutes of walking the orb above Zatanna started glowing brightly, "Keep your eyes open for mist."

"Over there," Jason said pointing to a greenish glow a hundred yards ahead of them.

Suddenly the mist swelled and swallowed the heroes. They found them selves face down on cold wet pavement. They stood brushing themselves off. Before them stood a small private jet, with the letters W.E. painted on the tail fin. Stairs slowly lowered and a younger looking Alfred stepped down, he was intently watching something behind the heroes, they turned to see what had Alfred's attention. The heroes found themselves looking at a shabby man.

The man wore dark camouflage cargo pants with holes in several places and patches covering much of their surface; heavy black worn out hiking boots were on his feet; a brown jacket that was patched so much it didn't look brown hid his torso; dark green scarf was rapped around his throat; and a dark maroon beanie insulating his head. Everything was caked in mud and dirt; brown water dripped from his sleeves and the end of his jacket every time he took a step.

The man's onyx hair was shaggy and long sticking out at all angles from underneath his hat, it tangled with a messy beard that looked like it had been cut with a dull knife. His face was tanned, but there were red and white blotches on his checks and nose akin to wind-burns; he sported a large purple and blue bruise around his right eye. His cobalt eyes were stone cold and almost evil, and his pinks lips were set in a firm, unmoving line.

"Who's the evil hobo," John asked, giving the man a disgusted look.

"OhMyGod," the words rushed out of Zatanna's mouth, "ItsBruce. Whatthehellhappenedtohim?"

"You're kidding, right," Jason asked squinting.

Alfred spoke and the heroes turned to him, "Master Wayne it's been along time, you look very... fashionable, except for the mud, a little over kill." The heroes' jaws dropped to the ground.

They followed Bruce onto the plane and once the plane had taken off Alfred spoke again. "Are you coming back to Gotham for long sir," Alfred asked formally.

"Yes, I am going to give Gotham back to its people," Bruce said quietly, watching the sun set out the window.

"In the depression your father nearly bankrupted Wayne Enterprises combating poverty; he believed that his example could inspire the wealthy of Gotham to save their city," Alfred said.

Bruce nodded his head in acknowledgement, "Did it?"

Alfred continued, "In a way. Their murder shocked the wealthy and the powerful into action."

"People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy. And I plan on doing just that, but not as Bruce Wayne, I'll be ignored. I need something lasting, something people will not forget over time. A symbol of sorts like that of a protector," Bruce said roughly.

"Like Superman?" Alfred question a grey eyebrow arched high.

Bruce chuckled, "No." He paused. "No, protector isn't the right word, it would have to represent anything the people needed it to... something elemental..."

"I assume as you take on the crime world this symbol will become a persona to protect those you care about from reprisals," Alfred said.

"You're thinking about Rachel," Bruce asked flatly, raising one eyebrow.

Alfred smiled, "Actually I was think of myself." Bruce's eyes flashed with laughter and the scene before the heroes faded and they found themselves once again in the dark abyss.

* * *

Donna, Inza, Dick, and Kent had all been walking for quite some time when Donna stopped in her tracks and sat down.

"C'mon Donna, not the time to stop," Dick said, reaching a hand out towards her.

"Shush you! I need a break," Donna prompted. Dick was about to say something about Amazonian warriors when Kent and Inza sat down next to her. Donna stuck her tongue out at Dick and he sighed. Donna turned to Inza and whispered something into her ear and she laughed, Inza returned the favor and Donna began laughing as well. Dick and Kent shared a worried look, nothing good ever came from their other halves giggling like school girls. Dick opened his mouth to speak when mist fell over them all, when it cleared they found themselves in the foyer of Wayne manor.

"Is that you? How old are you, you look young," Donna exclaimed pointing to a tired teenager. The younger Dick was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a green t-shirt, his hair a mess; he looked rather upset. At that moment a Bruce burst through a side door and briskly walked up to Dick and turned him around.

"Don't you dare walk away," Bruce growled.

The younger Dick glared at Bruce, "What are you going to do, take away my phone, my computer, not let me talk to my friends, you gonna make me work more, huh? Tell me what is my punishment for walking away."

"Stop," Bruce said calmly.

"Stop? You want me to stop! No, Bruce! You stop! Stop taking control of my life! Stop making me do things I don't want to do, let me live my life the way I want to live it!" Dick demanded.

Bruce let out a loud growl, "Fine you know what, live your life," Bruce's voice raised with each word, "Go live your life the way you want to! Don't listen to me, because, I don't know shit! Go hang out with friends! Go beat the shit out of kids you don't like! Go sky diving! I don't care anymore! I'm tired of these ridiculous arguments! You can leave if you want to!"

Dick's eyes shone, but he stood tall, "Fine, I will! I'll Leave!" Dick turned on his heel and left the foyer, Bruce going in the opposite direction.

"That was the biggest fight we had ever had, I was seventeen, Bruce was giving me all these rules and I hated him for it, I still do," Dick said quietly.

The foyer dissolved and Bruce's bedroom appeared, Bruce sat on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands.

Alfred walked into the room and pulled a chair up across from Bruce, "He'll be back sir, he always is."

Bruce looked up at Alfred, he had dark rings around his eyes and it look like he hadn't slept in days, "I don't know Alfred, he usually comes back the day after, it's been three day's since the fight and I haven't heard a word, the school hasn't seen him and he hasn't been in contact with Wally or Roy or any of the others," Bruce rubbed his face. "All I wanted was for him to live a good life, I don't want him to end up like me, my childhood wasn't a pleasant one."

Alfred looked pained and gave Bruce a small smile.

"Maybe he's right, maybe I am a terrible father," Bruce sighed into his hands.

Alfred looked sternly at Bruce, "No. You are not a bad father. Remember this is your first time being a father, give yourself some credit."

"Dad was a wonderful father, I am not," Bruce said shaking his head.

"Master Bruce your father had known you since birth, you've not raised Master Richard since he was an infant," Alfred got up and stopped at the door, "And for the record, your father made many mistakes, but he picked himself up and pushed through them." And with that Alfred left the room.

–

* * *

Diana and Cass had been walking in silence the whole time, but it was broken by Cass.

"Look," She said pointing ahead to mist that swirled as if someone had stirred it. As they neared, the mist began to disappear. Diana sped up, but it still thinned out, soon both women were sprinting towards the evaporating fog. When the women reached the mist they slammed into it as if it was a brick wall; stumbling back and holding their heads the girls fell through the ground and dropped to a hard surface.

Both women clutched their temples and struggled to stand up. They blinked a couple times clearing their heads.

"Where are we," Diana asked looking around. They were in a very, very large lobby. Everything about the place was elegant and beautiful.

"Wayne Tower," Cass answered recognizing the foyer.

"It's beautiful."

"You've never been here," Cass asked. Diana shook her head.

"Welcome Mr. Wayne, it's been awhile, what do we owe the pleasure," came a raspy voice from the glass doors at the buildings entrance. An elderly man in a green uniform held a door open for Thomas Wayne and a small boy.

"Chris, what did I tell you, it's Tom and I'm just here for a meeting and to show Bruce around," Thomas said squeezing the small boy's hand, "Bruce this is Chris."

The doorman bent down to Bruce's level, "Hello there, I'm pleased to meet you."

Bruce looked up at his father then at the man, "...hi." he whispered shyly.

"Come on Bruce, let's go to my unused office," Thomas said smiling at the doorman and tugging on his son's hand.

Diana and followed Thomas and Bruce to the elevators and stepped in beside them.

* * *

"La lala la lala," Tim sang obnoxiously.

"You sound like Wally," Barbra complained.

"That's a good thing. 'means I'm annoying you," Tim grinned.

"Gah! So not a good thing!" she sighed.

"You guys behave as siblings would," J'onn observed.

"Well we are, just not by blood. I mean we've know each other for years," Tim said looking at the green alien.

J'onn nodded, "I understand that, but there must be something more, most siblings fight much more than you do, but I assume that is because you lack the relationship that blood siblings share. I do not understand how you have such a bond, all four of you." They all knew J'onn had an interest in anything and everything he couldn't figure out, so they didn't find his questions out of place.

"Well we all complain... about... Bruce to each other," Barbra said trying to find the right words, for what they did.

"We all went through the same thing with Bruce; adoption, training, school, robin or batgirl, and just being a kid of his. Cass isn't that close to any of us though, she watches when we talk, she trains when we play, she's weird," Tim shrugged casually.

"She is very smart," Clark blurted.

Tim huffed. "Yeah, well she can be—"

"Don't go there," Barbra warned cutting him off. Tim rolled his eyes, and mumbled under his breath. "What was that," Barbra asked raising an eyebrow.

Tim's head snapped up and he grinned, "Oh nothing, nothing at all."

"That's what I thought."

J'onn and Clark shared a look, these two really were just like brother and sister.

A whispery voice meet all their ears and they snapped to attention, "...thank you...thank you...thank you..." the voice was smooth and childlike. J'onn place a hand to his head and reached out for the person's mind. J'onn blindly stumbled with his mind, searching for the mind of the voice.

"_Hello...oh...you're not Batman...that's okay...I guess," said the mind._

"_Who are you," J'onn asked._

"_My name is not important, but if you would like to know what I was called, I can tell you," the voice replied._

"_I would like to know," J'onn said._

"_They called me Ace."_

"_Ace...that's a nice name."_

"_It's a weird name for a girl who is only fourteen, but who has the ability to wipe out an entire city."_

"_What are you doing here?"_

"_I'm waiting for Batman to come back."_

"_Why were you saying thank you?"_

"_Bruce and I...oops, I said his name...Batman saved me and every time I can I thank him."_

"_If you are in here then how did he save you?"_

"_Come I'll show you...bring your friends too, just follow my voice."_

J'onn refocus his eyes and found three sets of eyes on him, "Come," his commanded following Ace's voice.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **I'd love some feed back,constructive criticism welcomed.

**-Jopo :)**


	8. Why Can't You Just Fix This

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening:** The heroes reentered Batman's mind and split up.

**Note: **This has been updated and edited as of 10/2/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 8:**** Why Can't You Just Fix This?**

(Wally, John, Shayera, Jason, and Zatanna)

"Ugh! That was totally stupid, what did we learn other than a few big words I couldn't define with the world's largest dictionary," Wally exclaimed over dramatically.

"Calm down," John demanded.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down? I can't calm down in a place like _this_!" Wally exclaimed.

Zatanna raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean a place like _this_?"

Wally took a deep breath before launching into and explanation, "Well let's see, first we are in BRuce Wayne's mind! A.K.A. Batman! Second, Batman! We are talking about the man who scares the shit out of J'onn, who might I remind you is an _Alien!_ Supes doesn't even mess with him and Supes has _super-_superpowers. Third," Wally declared counting on his fingers, "The body this mind belongs to is in a coma so what happens if he wakes up and we are Still In Here? Huh! Then what? Fourth what if he doesn't wake up? This toxin thingy beat Bat-flipping-Man, so what's to stop it from killing us?"

They all looked at Wally stunned, they's never seen him so distraught.

"That actually makes sense," John joked slapping Wally on the back.

Wally threw up his hands, "You know what? Forget it, I'm going to find J'onn." Wally speed off in a random direction.

"Wally! ...Wally! Ah, _shit_!" John hissed.

"Smooth," Shayera snapped.

John turned on his heel to face his wife, "Hey wa—,"

"Chill out the both of you," Jason cut in.

"Kitty...come hither." The smooth voice dripped with venom as it echoed around the heroes.

John stiffened, "What the hell?"

"Looks like Wally was right, we're out of here," Zatanna said raising her hands and engulfing them all in a bubble of purple light.

* * *

(Donna, Inza, Dick, and Kent)

They watched as Bruce sat on the edge of his bed. Bruce rubbed his face and then stood up. They followed him out of the room, down the hall, down a flight of stairs and into a study. Bruce grabbed a phone and dialed, he waited, the phone jumped to voicemail. Bruce pounded his fist on the desk, "Damn it!" Bruce opened a cabinet on the far wall and pulled out a bottle of liquor, he poured himself a glass and downed it. He picked up the phone again and dialed, this time when it went to voicemail Bruce left a message. "For Tim's sake and Alfred's call and let them know you're alive, they want to know if your okay..." Bruce trailed off looking defeated.

The scene shifted and they found themselves back in the foyer, Bruce standing at the bottom of the stairs looking up at someone.

"That was a week later," Dick whispered to Donna.

Bruce was stiff and ridge, "Come back?" he asked in a cold voice.

"No. I came for my stuff," said the seventeen year old Dick. He stood at the first landing of the stairs with a backpack over his shoulder, a black worn leather jacket, ripped blue jeans, and a backwards baseball cap.

"Hey, Bruce where are the—Dick!" a teenaged Barbra squealed, running up the stairs and hugging Dick.

"Hi," Dick said with a small smile.

Barbra saw the backpack, "You're not staying," it wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Let him leave," Bruce said with a voice of ice.

Barbra looked between Bruce and Dick, then to Dick she leaned in and whispered, "He missed you, he really did, he's been really worried too. Good luck, and stay in touch," she finished giving Dick a pointed look before continuing up the stairs. Dick slowly descended stopping in front of Bruce.

It was silent for a minute.

"Are you going to say anything," Dick asked pursing his lips like he always did when he was irritated.

"What is there to say," Bruce asked.

"Wha—What is there to say? Really?" Dick asked incredulously and slightly hurt, looking at Bruce as if he had two heads, "For someone who is a genius you sure are stupid."

Bruce raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at the angering teenager.

"For starters you could apologize and then you could admit that you missed me," Dick practically yelled.

"Apologize for what? For trying to protect you, for trying to make sure you had a good education, for making sure you don't end up a beggar on the street," Bruce said cooly, "I'm not going to apologize for doing my job."

"Oh, so having kids is a job now? See that's your problem, you've never taken the time to get to know any of us," Dick was seething now, Bruce could almost see the steam pouring out of his ears.

"That's not what I meant," Bruce growled.

"What Did You Mean? Huh, Bruce? What Did You Mean, Please Tell Me, Because I'm Dying Over Here!" Dick yelled, his voice bouncing off the marble surfaces.

"I-I don't see you guys as a job, your—," Bruce began getting cut short by Dick.

"You know what? Just drop it," he snapped walking past Bruce to the door, he turned around, "You're not going to apologize and there is no way the mighty Batman would ever admit he missed someone, 'it shows weakness'. Don't even try to find me, 'cause you don't exist anymore. I don't know Batman or Bruce Thomas Wayne, I only know about Bruce-playboy-Wayne from the tabloids, good day Mr. Wayne, have a nice life." And with that Dick left the manor leaving Bruce in deafening silence.

The scene shifted again and the heroes found themselves in the Batcave. Bruce sat in his chair before a bank of monitors, but he faced the cave.

The heroes looked up at the sound of someone entering the cave. Alfred calmly walked down the stairs with a mug in hand.

Alfred's posture was stiff and cold, he set the mug down on the examination table and turned to go back up the stairs, but thought better of it, instead he faced Bruce, "You could have handled that better, _Sir."_

"I know," Bruce sighed.

"Well then, why didn't you?" Alfred asked, his voice softening a bit.

Bruce looked up at his surrogate father, "I couldn't say it, I couldn't admit I actually missed him, I don't know why, but I just couldn't. He should know I missed him, its part of the father son bond... I'm a terrible father, maybe I should just stop all of this and let Tim, Cass, and Barbra find new families. I don't know what to do anymore, how many twenty-six year olds do you know try and raise a seventeen year old boy, eighteen and fourteen year old girls, and an eleven year old boy."

"Master Bruce, as long as you are trying your hardest you are doing what you should be," Alfred said.

"What if I'm trying too hard, I pushed Dick away, what if Barbra and Cass leave next. God! And think of Tim, how am I going to explain this to him, he loves Dick so much. Dick's right, I'm ruining lives." Bruce said rubbing his temples.

Donna watched present Dick closely trying to find that flicker of emotion that would flit across his eyes before he hid it behind his mask.

Dick looked at his father, who was doing a very un-Batman like thing: giving up, he was ready to give up on being a father and Dick couldn't believe it; he felt like blaming himself for it. Dick felt Donna rest a hand on his shoulder, he reached up and squeezed it for comfort.

Alfred walked over to Bruce and sat down in another chair, "Don't do this, you are trying and thats all that matters, don't give up on them, and if you did, would you really make them find new homes, they've been through so much already." Alfred stood, he stopped at the base of the stairs, "Don't forget, the longer you wait to tell him, the harder it will be for him to accept your apology." And with that Alfred left.

Once more the seen shifted.

* * *

Diana looked around herself in awe. Her and Cass were on the top most floor of Wayne Enterprises, in Thomas Wayne's office which had two walls of windows that over looked half of the city. "It's beautiful."

"Yes it is," Cass agreed.

Just then the three year old Bruce rushed over to the windows and pressed up against the glass, his tiny hands spread out, leaving tiny hand prints, his breath fogging up the glass. "It's so pwetty," he whispered.

Diana and Cass smiled at each other, Bruce was very cute.

"It is, isn't it," Thomas said walking over to the windows and crouching down next to his son.

"The snow makes evewything look bueti-ul," Bruce said.

"You right," Thomas agreed nodding.

"How come it doesn't stay, it stays at home," Bruce asked looking up at his father with his big blue eyes.

Thomas smiled down at his son, "It's too warm, the buildings and people create a lot of heat and it melts all of it, but on really, really cold day it stays."

The door to the office opened and a brunette girl poked her head around it, "Mr. Wayne, Councilor Marks is here to see you."

"Thank you Sherry," Thomas nodded waving her in, "I would like you to meet my son."

Sherry opened the door all the way and entered the office, she knelt down in front of Bruce, "Hello there."

"Hi," Bruce said shyly stepping behind his father's leg.

"Sherry, do you mind watching Bruce while I meet with the Councilor," Thomas asked.

"Not at all," Sherry said standing up and holding her hand out to Bruce, "What do you say we go exploring," Sherry grinned.

Bruce looked at his father nervously, Thomas gave him an encouraging smile, and Bruce gladly accepted Sherry's hand.

Diana and Cass followed them out as a heavy set man entered and took a seat in front of Thomas' desk.

* * *

(Barbra, Tim, J'onn, and Clark)

Tim glanced around nervously, "Uh, is it just me or is it getting darker, in here?"

"It's not just you," Barbra said looking around, brow furrowed.

"I can't see anything," Tim said shakily, "I've gone blind. Ahh! I've Gone Blind! I'm Never Gonna See Again! Why'd I Go Bl—"

"Shut Up! You spend _way_ to much time with Wally," Barbra snapped irritably.

"How Can You Be So Calm? I've Gone Bl—," Tim screamed.

"No you haven't, I can't see either, calm down, _jheesh_," Barbra huffed.

"You can't see either? Oh, whew. Wait! What if we've both gone blind?" Tim asked frantically.

Barbra took a deep breath, "X equals the square root of M times H divided by pie, to the 18th power times 5F, over K times the fourth root of G times H to the 9th power..."

"What are you doing? This is no time to recite formulas?" Tim exclaimed incredulously.

"I'm trying to calm down so I don't rip that helium filled head off your shoulders!" Barbra growled through clenched teeth.

Tim winced rubbing his neck unconsciously, "Ow," he muttered to himself, "...so why formulas?"

"You're really annoying at times, you know that right?" Barbra sighed in defeat, he'd never shut up and she'd never be able to shut him out.

"I resent that... Umm Babs where did J'onn and Clark go," Tim asked his voice rising.

Barbra opened her eyes as far as she could, she still couldn't see a thing, "J'onn!" she called. No answer. "Clark?" she yelled.

"We're dead, we're dead, well we're not, but we will be, Ahhhhh! OW!" Tim hopped on one leg, clutching the other in his arms, "That hurt, why you run me over?"

"Would you just shut up, I think I heard Clark," Barbra said reaching out blindly and grabbing his arm.

"Well why didn't you say so?" Tim asked incredulously.

"Because you wouldn't Shut Up," Barbra gritted.

"Oh, well you could have just—," Tim started, only to be stopped by Barbra yanking him down to her level by his arm and clamping her other hand over his mouth.

"Clark!" She yelled again.

Barbra strained her ears and a very, very faint voice reached her ears, "_Barbra is that you? Yell again, we'll come to you?_"

"Clark!" She yelled looking down at Tim, even though she couldn't see him she knew he had covered his ears and was glaring at her.

"We're coming, keep yelling, we can't see a darn thing," Clark's voice floated back to them, a little louder this time.

"Over Here! Babs Is Trying To Kill Me!" Tim yelled.

Barbra punched the boy wonder, "That was my ear you idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot! I did figure out who Slade was and put him away for good," Tim declared proudly.

"Yeah, _after_ Bruce had already figured it out, in addition to the fact that it took you two years to finally find out who was 'behind the mask,'" Barbra said rolling her eyes knowing full well he couldn't see her.

"..."

"My point exactly," Barbra declared smugly.

Tim huffed, "Oh yeah! Well how many sixteen year olds do you know have done that?"

"Well let's see, shall I count Dick and Cass, there's two. Lets see.. oh right, don't for get Bruce and myself, shall I name the Titans Dick and I worked with, or the Titans you work with?" Barbra asked ticking them off on her fingers as she went.

"Yeah well you know what I think?"

"You're a teenage boy, so yes I have an idea of what your think," Barbra answered easily.

She could practically see Tim blubbering like fish out of water. "I—You—Wha—No! I am not think about that right now!" Tim exclaimed.

"You sure about that lover boy, you still have that crush on Starfire?" Barbra taunted.

"What no! I mean—I never had crush on her! And even if I did that was ages ago," Tim stuttered.

"Ages, how about like two.. three months ago," Barbra teased.

"You are the biggest bit—"

"_Oof!_ Barbra, Tim," Clark asked.

"_Hmmmghuug!_" Came Tim's muffled reply.

Barbra sighed, "Come on spit it out already."

Tim struggled for a moment before taking a deep breath, "Clark just shove his hand in my face, sorry if my gasping for breath was annoying you."

"Oops, sorry Tim," Clark apologized to the darkness.

Barbra strained her eyes, "J'onn can you see?"

"No," came the dull reply.

"ARG! What are we going to do if we can't even see," Tim asked the darkness.

Barbra shook her head, "I'm rolling my eyes."

"And I'm giving you the fin—"

"I think that's enough of that," Clark said intervening before the siblings got too out of hand.

* * *

Donna, Dick, Inza, and Kent all watched as Bruce approached an eleven year old Tim who was playing a video game on a large TV. Bruce stopped in the doorway and looked on at the small boy chasing the bad guys down in the ninja game. Bruce stood there watching for what seemed like hours, not moving a muscle, hardly blinking.

Dick could practically see the battle within his adopted father's mind. In truth, after he had yelled at Bruce that day on the stairs, he figured that he truly didn't care, at all, but seeing Bruce in these memories... he never knew or understood how much Bruce really did care—does care.

Bruce took a step into the room, "Tim," he said quietly.

Tim glanced up momentarily before vanquishing the last foe in the game, he then paused it and turned to Bruce grinning brightly, "His technique is horrible," Tim said.

"Who's?" Bruce asked

"Sauhai's," Tim said gesturing to the game, "And so is his balance, when he throws a punch he only uses half of his body, instead of all of it, you should teach the programers this stuff, it would make the game so much more realistic," Tim said matter-a-factly.

Bruce tilted his head slightly, "I don't think the rest of the video gaming world can tell when Sauhai isn't using his full body for a punch, nor do they care."

Tim shrugged, "Oh well, I guess it's something I'll have to live with."

"I guess it is," Bruce agreed nodding.

"So is it dinner time already," Tim asked glancing at the lakewood clock hanging on the wall.

Bruce walked around to the front of the couch, where Tim was sitting and sat down on the staggered coffee table, "No."

"Alfred's not going to be happy that you're sitting on the table without a coaster," Tim joked waving a drink coaster at Bruce. Bruce didn't say anything, but continued sitting on the table looking at Tim almost... nervously. Tim looked at his adopted father uneasily, "Bruce are you okay? Is something wrong?"

Bruce remained silent just staring. He finally spoke, "No... it's not, and it's all my fault." Bruce shove the heels of his palms into his closed eyes and rubbed hoping that this was all a dream. Tim shook slightly, he'd never seen his adopted father so venerable. "Tim... Dick left."

Tim still stared uneasily, "Yeah, I know. Wednesday. He told me he was spending time with some friends." His voice was quivering just the smallest amount.

Bruce's head snapped up, "You saw him on Wednesday?" Tim nodded. "What did he tell you? Exactly!"

Tim hesitated, "Well he gave me a really big hug before saying he was spending time with a friend, told me to look out for myself... and..."

"And what?" Bruce asked.

Tim's eyes shifted around the room, "He told me not to take your crap and to make sure I got out once in awhile. Then he said he'd see me around, which made no sense, because he's only spend time with a friend."

"He's not coming back Tim." Bruce whispered.

"What do you mean?" Tim asked standing up.

"He left, we had a fight."

"You guys have had fights before though."

"Not like this."

"What do you mean?"

Bruce sighed, "It's hard to explain I don't know if you'd fully understand."

"I'm eleven, I'm in seventh grade Bruce! Try me! I'm not stupid!" Tim exclaimed loudly.

"I never said you were."

"Well then why can't you just fix this? Apologize or something!" Tim screeched his voice rising.

"It's too late. There's nothing I can do."

"The Fuck There Is!" Tim yelled.

Bruce rested his head in his hands, "Language Tim, Alfred will wash your mouth with soap."

"I Don't Care! Just Tell Me What Happened!" Tim shouted.

"We fought. We yelled. We disagreed. He left. I told you you wouldn't understand."

"Fuck! I Can't Believe This." Tim screamed rushing out of the room.

Bruce sighed, "...I don't even fully understand, but at the same time I do... I'm so sorry Tim, please forgive me," Bruce whispered to the room.

"Poor Bruce," Inza whispered.

* * *

Wally zoomed forward as fast as his legs would carry him. He knew he shouldn't have run from the group, it was a really bad idea, but he couldn't take it anymore, John was constantly treating him like a child or like he had a single digit I.Q. He was a scientist for crying out loud, you can't be stupid and a scientist. Wally slowed down, and soon stopped, he glanced around, he really wished he'd stayed with the group, he was now lost... in Batman's mind... all alone... in the dark, with very little light... and a highly dangerous toxin lurking around. Not his best idea.

Wally whimpered, why did Bats have to be so dark and scary, would it kill him to smile or wear something other than black, his suit would look awesome with a little gold trimming or even silver... Wally smile at the thought of Batman wearing a suit trimmed in silver, he'd light up like a Christmas tree, he wouldn't be able to sneak around without people seeing him.

_**BANG!**_

"_Nooo!"_

Wally froze. "H-h-hello?" He asked nervously. Wally glanced around, "Com'n, no joking around, that's my job... this isn't funny." Wally stood absolutely still waiting for something to happen, and it did. Something grabbed his wrists and ankles and began dragging him forward. Wally looked down horrified at what was happening, but there was nothing there, it was like some invisible force pulling him forward. Glancing up Wally saw thick grey mist swirling around like steam from a pot. He struggled against the force, but it just held to him tighter and dragged him into the fog.

Then it stopped. Wally rubbed his wrists and watched as the mist sank into the ground, he glanced around and saw he was surrounded by three brick walls that rose up into dark clouds. On his left was a dumpster, to his right there was a broken window and a graffiti covered wall; spinning around Wally saw that behind him was a dark street with a lamp post that flickered on and off. The ground was damp from rain and miniature rivers lined the gutters flowing to the lowest parts of the street. Wally turned back around, the wall in front of him had two large brown metal doors and a dim light above them. The a door opened and a man exited, Wally recognized him as Thomas Wayne, he was followed by a blond woman, Martha Wayne, and then a young Bruce. Wally stared, Bruce looked no older than seven or eight, he was dressed in a tux as was his father, Martha was wearing an elegant black dress with a fur shall covering her shoulders.

"We almost lost you in there Bruce," Martha said smiling at he son.

"It was very crowded, I wish I was taller," Bruce said with a slight scowl on his face.

Thomas ruffled his son's hair, "You will be, but let's be glad we got out of there... Now I just have to figure out which side of the building we're on."

"I think we're on the east side... or the west?" Martha tried.

Wally watched as a homeless man came into view at the end of the alley, he approached the trio.

Thomas brightened, "Excuse me sir, can you tell us which side of the opera house we are on."

The man didn't say anything, but kept moving towards them, when he was a few feet away he pulled his hand out of his coat and held a gun at them, "Give me your money."

Thomas raised his hands in surrender, "Sir there is no—"

"Shut up! Shut Up!" The man yelled, "Just give me your money, and the jewels. Com'n now!"

Thomas slowly lowered one hand as Martha reached for her pearls, this caused the man to panic and pull the trigger on the gun.

_**BANG!**_

"Nooo!" Thomas yelled leaping forward.

Wally watched in horror and in shock as the man moved the gun to Thomas.

"Ahh!" Wally screamed as a hand grabbed his arm and retched him backward, the scene vanished in the blink of an eye and Wally found himself back on the plain that was Batman's mind. "What The Hell?"

"What are you doing?" a gruff voice asked.

Wally froze mid motion and slowly turned around and came face to face with someone who looked a lot like Bruce. "Who are you?"

"I asked you first, what were you doing? If Bruce finds out you saw any of that he'll skin you alive. No one is supposed to see that," The man snapped.

Wally shuddered, "Well it's not like I saw the end, although I can guess what happened."

"Keep your mouth shut and you my live a peaceful life."

"Who are you?" Wally asked again, his confusion evident. This man talked liked Bruce, looked like Bruce, but wasn't.

The man held out a hand, "Terry McGinnis, someone who could possible be in the future or someone who may not ever exist."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, depending on Bruce's decisions in life will depend on my existence or not."

Wally was throughly confused, "Wait, then how come you in Bat's mind."

"We've met a few times," Terry said simply, "In a possible future."

Wally shook his head, "I'm lost."

"I figured that much, you wouldn't have ended up in Bruce's Living Dead other wise."

"Living Dead? What does that mean," Wally asked with a slight tremor in his voice.

"The Living Dead is an area in Bruce's memory where he keeps his oldest and most precious memories, the one's he doesn't want to forget, but the ones he wants no one to know about. At least we're not in the Cemetery, he got some horrific memories in there." Terry explained.

Wally looked at Terry, "So..."

"Yes?" Terry asked raising one eyebrow.

"Can you help me?" Wally asked timidly.

"Help you do what?"

Wally bit the inside of his cheek, "Fix Bats, everything is going to hell without him."

"Sure I guess," Terry shrugged, "I've got nothing better to do."

"Really," Wally asked incredulously.

Terry rolled his eyes, "Yes, really."

"Right so how do we find this thing?"

"You're the one who asked me for help, I should ask you that question," Terry said.

Wally gave him a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck, "Well the toxin is spreading..."

Terry shook his head, "Obviously."

Wally snapped his fingers together, "Why don't you take me through Bats mind, you know, to all the important areas."

Terry raised an eyebrow, "You think part of Bruce's mind isn't important?"

"Well... uh...no... I mean..." Wally trailed off.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **Sorry it was so jumpy. Reviews are very much appreciated;constructive criticism welcomed.

**-Jopo :)**


	9. It is in His Nature

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening:** Wally has separated from his group and met Terry McGinnis.

**Note: **This has been updated and edited as of 10/2/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 9:**** It Is in His Nature**

Diana and Cass followed Bruce and Sherry through out the tower, at the moment they were on the fifth floor from the top and walking towards the brake room because Bruce needed to wash his hands of the ink that got there through a small printer accident. Bruce stopped where he was causing Sherry to stumble, she looked back at Bruce and tugged on his hand lightly, "Wha'cha looking at Bruce?"

Bruce looked up at the petite brunette and pointed down their left to a hallway, "There."

Sherry followed Bruce's line of vision, "That's the mail man, Danny, would you like to go say hi?" Bruce nodded his head shyly. "Okay, come on, maybe he'll even let us help, would you like that?" Bruce nodded again.

Diana couldn't stop grinning, this young, tiny, innocent Bruce was the cutest thing in the world, "He's so cute." she said to Cass.

Cass nodded, "He is."

As they reached the large grey cart with big white boxes filled with envelopes and packages a man stepped out of the nearest doorway and hit the wall a few times, "To true mate. I couldn't believe it either." The was a laugh from inside the room. "Later mate, mustn't slack off." The man completely stepped out of the doorway and began flipping through the contents in a white box.

Bruce stared wide-eyed at the man. He was tall, broad shouldered with brown hair and striking green eyes. He wore tan cargo pants and a black T-shirt with a large green bird on the front. Around his neck was a black cord with an oddly shaped pendant hanging from it.

"Hi Danny!" Sherry said brightly.

Danny jumped slightly, "Hello love, you gave me a fright."

Sherry gave him an apologetic smile, "Sorry, I didn't mean to."

"No problem, what can I do for you," Danny asked.

Sherry smiled and glanced down at Bruce, "I have someone who would like to meet you."

"Really?" Danny asked, "No one ever wants to meet the mail man."

Sherry laughed, "You know we all love you."

"Of course doll," Danny grinned. "So who would like to meet little ol' me?"

Sherry squatted down to Bruce's level and held him next to her, "This is Bruce, he's the boss's son and he was wondering if you would let us help you deliver your mail."

Danny knelt down to Bruce's level, "Hello there."

"Hi," Bruce said shyly.

Danny noticed how shy Bruce was and held his hand out. "M'names Danny."

Bruce took his hand after a moment and shook it, "Why do you have a Koala claw on your necklace?" Bruce asked quietly.

Danny looked surprised, "You're the first person to get that right, and I have it because a Koala died near my house and we took him to the vet, they gave us one of his claws, because Koala claws can be used for many things, but this one," Danny said fiddling with his, "was to small."

"Koala's live in Austwr-alia, that means you'we Austwr-alian, but you have an Austwr-alian accent so I alweady knew that, how long did you live there?" Bruce asked quietly.

Danny was taken aback by how much this small boy knew, "Um... well I lived there until I turned nine, then my parents died and I came he to good ol' America to live with my grandfather, then I moved in with my uncle, he helped me get this job when I was fifteen."

"You'we young," Bruce said.

"Why thank you," Danny said with a slight bow.

Bruce studied his face, "You look too young to wowk here."

Danny blinked, "I'm eighteen, I'll be nineteen in a few weeks. How old are you?"

Bruce shuffled so he was part way hidden by Sherry, "I'm thwee."

"Wow... So would you like to help deliver the rest of the mail?" Danny asked. Bruce nodded. "Okay, well I always save the most fun for last, all these remaining letters go to the busy bees on the 52nd floor, I must warn you, this is the craziest floor there is do you think you're up for it?"

Bruce nodded again.

"Okay, so all the letters are in alphabetical order by last name... oh wait-"

"I know what alphabet-cally means," Bruce said shyly.

"Never mind then, so as we pass each cubical I'll call out a name and you had me a letter if they have one, if they don't then just say 'At a loss mate' can you do that?" Danny asked. Bruce nodded. "Well come on then try it, say 'At a loss mate.'"

"At a loss mate," Bruce whispered.

"Oh come on, say it like you mean it!" Danny exclaimed.

"At a loss mate!" Bruce said a little louder.

Danny smiled, "That'll do. To the 52nd floor. Bruce do you mind sitting on the cart, it would be easier." Bruce didn't say anything, but Danny picked him up and plopped him on the cart. They headed to the elevators and went down to the craziest floor.

* * *

Barbra was drumming her fingers on the left arm rest of her wheelchair waiting for Tim to shut up while Clark pushed her forward. She wasn't pleased that Clark was pushing her, but she let him because it seemed to ease his nerves. As they forged through the dim abyss Clark and Tim started to become more agitated.

"There," J'onn said motioning to a lighter spot in the darkness.

"What is is it," Clark asked.

Tim squinted, "It looks like a blob." Barbra slapped his leg. "Ow," he whined.

"Careful," J'onn warned as they began to get closer. J'onn reached out with his mind, _hello? _The light vanished.

"Who are you?" A voice asked from behind startling them, they whipped around to face the sound. Standing before them stood a teenage girl, with black hair.

"You are Ace, are you not," J'onn asked.

"Yes, but who are you, and why are you here?" Ace asked peering at them. Her white outfit glowed in the darkness giving the heroes some light.

"I am J'onn J'onzz, these are my companions: Clark Kent, Barbra Walters, and Tim Drake." J'onn answered waving a hand to each of them.

"You two are Batman's apprentices," Ace examined Barbra and Tim, there was no question in her voice.

Barbra let out a small chuckle, "I haven't lived with Bruce for quite a few years."

Ace rested her eyes on Barbra, "One never stops learning, especially from ones teacher. You may seem to be out of the nest, but Batman will always see you as his student no matter how old you are, you would do well no to forget that."

Barbra sensed that she should not argue if she did disagree, although she didn't, "I will."

"I'm not too sure we are more than apprentices," Tim said with a shrug.

Ace whipped to face him, "Never say such a thing!" She hissed, her voice growing with anger, Tim recoiled as if she'd slapped him. "Bruce loves you all very much, he may not show it, but you are his family and he would do anything to protect you! I can not believe you doubt his love for you, both of you," Ace glanced at Barbra through narrowed eyes, "I will show you that Bruce is not the cold hearted man you think him to be."

Ace snapped her fingers and a blinding light momentarily confused the heroes, but it vanished just as fast as it appeared. The heroes glanced around and found themselves on a campus, a college campus.

Barbra immediately found the younger version of her adopted father. He looked to be nineteen, not quite his full grown height, but filled out. "There," Barbra pointed out Bruce with the slight nod of her head.

"Bruce graduated high school very early, this is his last year of five years in college," Ace explained, she began to follow the young Bruce across the campus, the others trailed behind her, taking in their surroundings from the beautiful campus buildings to the people pointing to Bruce and whispering about him behind their hands. Bruce ignored them and kept up his steady pace, he lead them off campus to what looked to be a hospital.

"Hello, Mr. Wayne," a young receptionist greeted him, giving him a flirty smile. Bruce gave her a nod in acknowledgement, but continued deeper into the hospital; he entered an elevator and exited on the fourth floor. He walked down a hallway making three turns stopping before a door and knocking before entering. Ace lead them into the room behind Bruce.

Inside was a regular hospital room, there were a few drawings on the wall, but that was it. A nurse in a pink outfit hovered over the occupant in the bed, she didn't even twitch at the door opening. "Hello Bruce," she didn't bother to turn and greet him, "You are here a three minutes early, rough day?" The nurse asked straightening and checking the I.V.

"Yes," Bruce answered.

After writing a few thing on a clipboard the nurse finally turned and faced him, she had light brown hair and sparkling grey eyes, she looked to be in her early twenties. "Sasha is doing well today, much better than yesterday," a frown crossed the nurses face when she made mention of the previous day.

"I'm glad." Bruce replied, relief flitting through his eyes.

"Well, I'll leave you two alone," she said walking to the door.

"Will you join us for lunch," a voice asked.

The voice called the attention of everyone in the room. In the bed, propped up against two pillows, was a young girl. The little girl's appearance cause the heroes to gasp. A little more than a third of her head was shaved, the rest of her head covered in black, curly hair. Her eyes were a vivid blue, but they lacked a spark. The girl looked as if she had been through the ringer, her face was hollowed, but at the sight of Bruce a smile graced her features.

"The resemblance is amazing," J'onn said studying the girl on the bed.

"Uncanny," Barbra said.

"It's scary; like looking at Cass when she would've been this age," Tim breathed, he stared at the girl who could have been his older sister's twin, if they were the same age.

Barbra willed her tears not to fall, "She has the same pained look Cass always has."

The group snapped back to 'reality' when the nurse replied to the girl's question, "I would love to join you for lunch Sasha, just let me finish making my rounds, then I'll take my break and join you and Bruce." Sasha gave the nurse a large smile in thanks. "I think there's candy in the drawer," she said winking at Bruce before disappearing.

Bruce turned back to Sasha and pulled a chair closer to the girl's bed, "How's my Ash today?" He asked while taking a seat.

The girl turned to him, "Good, I feel much better. Did you hear, they are going to play _Balto_ tonight, I can't wait!" the little girl exclaimed in excitement at the prospect of watching the movie with the wild dog saving the sick little girl in Alaska.

Bruce gave the girl a sad smile. "That's your favorite movie, I bet you could recite it word for word."

"I could! And you know what else, I heard that they are going to repaint the rooms, I asked Abby to tell me what color my room would be, but she wouldn't say. She says she wants it to be a surprise." Bruce listened intently as the girl rambled on about nothing in particular.

Ace turned to the group she brought here, "Bruce first stumbled across Sasha here in the hospital when he had to do a report for a professor three months ago, he has come here everyday at 11:48 since then. She was left in the hospital bathroom at the age of three, the mother and father left her there when they found out she was sick with leukemia. She has survived on chemo the past four years. When Bruce discovered she had no one, he began to visit her." she explained.

They watched as Bruce interacted with the six year old, smiling as she talked animatedly about everything and nothing. Bruce sat listening, sincerely enthralled with what the little girl had to say. He would _hmm_ and _haa_, and often gave her his opinion on certain matters, like which 'knight in shining armor' was better, the one from _Sleeping Beauty_ or the one from _Snow White and the Seven Dwarves_.

Ace began moving her hand in a circular motion and everything sped up, Abby, the nurse, came in and had lunch, then she left, then Bruce left, then it grew dark outside. The heroes watched as Ace sped it up even fast, the days came and went and Bruce came and went with them. Ace stopped moving her hand and time went back to it's regular pace.

Sasha moved in her sleep and one of the machines next to Sasha's bed beeped, she moved again and it beeped again, then Sasha's movements became more prominent, soon she began coughing and the machine's beeping increase at the same rate Sasha's coughing did. Sasha's coughing grew more and more and soon the girl woke up, her coughing did not stop, it grew worse. She began to wheeze between coughs in order to catch her breath, the machine next to her was beeping rapidly, and her heart monitor showed her heart-rate speeding up. Sasha rolled over so her head was hanging over the side of her bed, her coughs shook her body as did her wheezing. After a long coughing spasm Sasha went to take a breath, but instead she continued to cough, her face turned blue as the fit continued. Her heart monitor was beeping nearly as fast as the other machine, and then it stopped. The heroes looked on helplessly.

A commotion outside the door drew the attention of the occupants. The door burst open and two nurses ran in, one ran to Sasha and turned her over and checked her pules. "Nothing."

"She must have flatlined." the other nurse said, she ran to the door and stuck her head out, "We Need ADE Pads Stat, She's Flatlined!"

Another nurse and a doctor came running into the room, the nurse ran over to a cart with a lock, he quickly punched in the code on the number pad and retrieved, two ADE Pads. The doctor had already opened Sasha's gown, he took the pads from the male nurse, "Half charge."

The nurse turned a nob on the machine the ADE pads were plugged into, "Charged."

The doctor rubbed the pads together, "Clear," he pushed the pads onto Sasha's chest, her upper body lifted off the bed slightly.

The nurse who had first check her pules, did it again, "Nothing."

"Again, 75 percent charge," the doctor commanded. He waited for the nodded from the male nurse, "Clear." Agin Sasha's body rose, put feel back limply.

"No pules," The nurse holding Sasha's wrist said.

"Once more." the doctor said.

"Charged," the male nurse said with a nod.

"Clear," the doctor stated, before setting the pads to Sasha's chest again.

They all looked to the nurse holding her wrist, "I have a pules!"

The doctor stepped forward and placed his fingers on the pules on her neck. "Confirmed." he stepped back and went to the clipboard at the end of the bed and began reading it, "We need to know what set this off, call in her day nurse so I can talk to her."

One of the nurses nodded and quickly exited the room. The doctor and other nurses quickly began examining Sasha. They made sure she wasn't in any serious pain. Before they were able to ask their first question Abby came running into the room.

"What happened?" She asked quickly stepping past the doctor and moving to Sasha's side, the girl held her arms open asking for a hug, Abby obliged.

"We aren't too sure, she just flatlined, I want to know if you noticed her acting differently yesterday, did she have a cough, did she sneeze a lot," The doctor asked.

Addy sat on Ash's bed and held her hand, "She seemed totally fine, if anything she seemed to be feeling better, I wasn't in here a lot yesterday, but... I know someone who was, he may be able to help."

"Family?" The doctor asked.

"No, but he visits her everyday," Abby explained, "He would have noticed if she hesitated while eating, or she sneezed even the tiniest bit."

"Please call him," The doctor said, "I'll be down the hall, come talk to me when he gets here."

Abby nodded and pulled out her cellphone dialing Bruce's number, which was on a sticky next to Ash's bed. "Bruce, are you awake?" Abby asked. "...Yeah. Can you come into the hospital, Ash flatlined—" she paused mid sentence. "Yes, she's fine now, sleeping. The doctor on call would like to talk to us."

Ace waved a hand and everything sped up again, two days went by and all seemed fine. Then Bruce came into Ash's room with a box behind his back. Ace slowed everything down.

"Hi Bruce," Ash's chirped from her chair by the window, she got up to give him a hug, but Bruce shook his head.

"Get on the bed, I have a present for you." Bruce said. Ash's eyes grew wide and she scrambled onto her bed. Abby stood in the doorway watching. Bruce set the medium sized box on the bed, it moved a bit and Ash's eyes grew even bigger. Bruce lifted the lid and a white fur-ball came tumbling out, onto Ash's blanket covered legs. "I bought him for you." Bruce said.

"It's a puppy!" Ash's exclaimed. The small dog clumsily bounded up to Ash and began licking her face. Ash hugged the small dog gently. "Thank you!" Suddenly Ash's face fell, "Who is going to take care of him, puppies aren't aloud in here."

"I'll take care of him, he'll visit everyday with me. So what are you going to name him?" Bruce asked petting the little dog.

"Balto Jr.! BJ for short! He looks just like Balto, do you think he can get me medicine?" Ash asked innocently.

Bruce froze and Abby's eyes began to water, "I don't know, I think he's a little too young, maybe in a few years."

"You're right!" Ash said hugging the small dog again, she laughed as it's whiskers tickled her face.

"She is adorable," Barbra said in reference to Ash. Ace nodded and snapped her fingers, and the heroes found themselves at a park, Bruce stood with BJ at his side who was larger than he had been moments ago, Abby stood across from them. Bruce held an expressionless face while Abby's eyes were very red, dark circles under them. "I never told her what color her room was going to be," Abby sobbed wiping her eyes. Bruce handed BJ's leash to Abby, he gave her a small, thin-lipped smile and began to walk away. Abby began crying full force, she picked BJ up and hid her face in his fur, the small dog seemed to be void of energy normal puppies have.

With another snap of her fingers Ace transported the heroes back to the dark abyss.

"What happened?" Clark asked.

Ace turned to the man of steel, "Five days after Bruce got Sasha that dog, she died, he left the dog with Abby and never went back to the hospital." Ace turned to the Bat-children, "Does this prove to you that Bruce can care for people and that he loves you?" Ace asked Barbra and Tim.

"I never doubted Bruce's love, he's just distance," Barbra said wiping a few tears from her cheek.

Ace looked at the ex-Batgirl, "It is in his nature. What else would you expect from him?"

* * *

Donna, Inza, Dick, and Kent were in the main Wayne kitchen. Bruce was hunched over the tall island on a stool; Alfred was placing servings of eggs, bacon, and toast on four different plates; and Barbra was leaning against the counter near Alfred drinking orange juice. Alfred took two plates to the small table facing the window. Bruce stood and carried the other two plates over. Alfred went to the intercom and called Tim and Cass down.

Tim was the first to reach the kitchen, he retrieved his plate without a word and headed back through the archway the way he came, but was stopped by Cass.

"Move!" Tim demanded.

"No."

"Get out of my way!" Tim growled his voice rising.

Cass straightened up and towered over Tim glaring at him, "Go sit down. Now." She hissed. Tim looked up at Cass with horror hiding behind his eyes. When Tim had turned back to the table and sat down, Cass poured herself a cup of coffee and joined the group.

The table was silent as they ate breakfast. Barbra and Bruce were reading the paper while Cass stared at Tim, who glared daggers at her. When Tim finished eating he made to get up but Cass raised an eyebrow, "I hope you're not leaving yet."

"I'm done eating, I should be able to leave now." Tim scoffed getting up.

"No, you best come back and sit down," Cass said still staring at the seat he'd just occupied. Tim looked at Cass' back, set his plate in the sink and using his training, snuck out of the kitchen. Tim made it to the foyer before a hand stopped him mid stride, "I'm better."

Tim looked up at his dark haired step-sister. "You're not my mother, you can't tell me what to do. Move before I force you to!"

Cass' eyes narrowed a millimeter. "I may not be you're mother, but you're mother is no longer with us and neither is your father. Do you know what that means? We are your family now, Barbra and I are your sisters, Dick is our brother and Bruce is our father."

Tim masked most of his anger, "Bruce is not my father! A father doesn't drive their son out of the house!" Tim's mask slipped a little.

"You should not be mad at Bruce for Dick leaving, if anything you should be mad at Dick, he's the one who left, he acted like a school girl who didn't get their way." Cass said simply.

Tim broke. He threw a punch at Cass' gut, she took the hit but immediately retaliated by hooking her foot around Tim's ankle and tripping him. Tim fell to the floor and tried to roll away from Cass, but she pinned him down.

"Dick left, it wasn't Bruce's fault." Cass stated.

"Yes it was! Bruce hates us all!" Tim screamed.

Cass rolled Tim over so he was facing her, she pinned his arms under either him and grabbed his face so he was forced to look her in the eye, "Have you looked around you!" Cass hissed, showing her emotions for the first time, the most prominent one being rage. "No you haven't! Or else you would have noticed how depressed our father is!" Cass snapped her voice growing with anger.

"It Was Bruce's Faul—," Tim yelled.

"No It Wasn't!" Cass interrupted mid-sentence. "Dick wanted to start shit. When has Bruce ever forced us to do anything? We have always had a choice and always will! It may seem like he's forcing us to do something, but we can say No, but Dick is too ignorant to see that! He left all of us because he wasn't listening, thats his problem, he never listens! You say Bruce doesn't care for us, but that's a line, both you and Dick are too stupid to see it. You hear the words, not their meaning, you have to look past the surface and dig deep, especially with our father." Cass took a breath and stood to climb the stairs.

Tim lay on the floor watching Cass until she disappeared, he then looked up at the ceiling. Tim wasn't too sure anymore. Cass had forced him to look at all the facts and most of them pointed to Dick. He thought about everything Bruce had ever asked him and he realized Cass was right once again. He could always say no, he always had the choice, like when Bruce asked if he wanted to be Robin, Bruce hadn't forced him. Tim flipped himself into a standing positing and went back to the kitchen. Dick and the other heroes followed Tim.

Dick couldn't help, but think about what Cass had said, and like Tim, he had to admit she had valid points, but Bruce never did seem to care for them, no matter how hard they tried, although from what he's seen so far, Dick slowly realized how wrong he was. Donna placed a hand on Dick shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze.

Tim entered the kitchen and found Barbra and Alfred loading the dishwasher. "Where's Bruce?"

Alfred straightened, "Master Bruce is in his lounge I believe."

As Tim left Barbra called after him and he paused, "Cass is right Tim, Bruce is hurting too." Tim nodded hurrying up the stairs. He wondered how Bruce had passed him and got up the stairs without him noticing, he was laying in the foyer the entire time, but Bruce was The Batman. Tim hurried down the east wing's second floor and stopped in front of two large doors, one of which was open.

Tim and the heroes peered in.

* * *

John, Shayera, Jason, and Zatanna fell forward onto the ground. "That one hurt," Jason said from where he was lying.

"Yes, it did," Zatanna said getting up and cracking her back, "Sorry about that guys."

Shayera helped John to his feet. "Any idea where we are?"

"Like I should know, this is Batman we are talking about." John said with a slight roll of his eye. Shayera raised an eyebrow at his tone, but let it slide.

The heroes glanced around taking everything in. They were in a huge entryway that connected two hallways to the left and right and wide wooden staircase in front of them going up. A loud bell rang and the heroes turned around to see hundreds of students entering the building, which they assumed to be a school, a private school due to all the uniforms. The students ranged from tiny kindergarteners to pimple covered seventh graders. The heroes stood and watched as the students filled the hallways completely unaware of them; students greeted each other and began talking a mile a minute while emptying their backpacks into their lockers.

The buzz of voices got louder and louder as the school filled with students, but then the voices slowly stopped. John glanced around at the kids who were yelling and goofing off mere seconds ago.

"Look," Jason said motioning to the students who were all looking to the doors where a hunched over black haired boy walked in, book bag over one shoulder, his head bent towards the floor. As he passed, the other students looked on with sympathy, many began whispering behind their hands to one another pointing towards the young boy.

John glared at the student even though it had no effect, he hated kids who made others feel like the odd one out, after all he had once been like that. From the looks of it, this poor kid hadn't done anything to deserve the wide-eyed looks and whispers. John and the heroes followed the boy to his locker. A few lockers down was a group of four boys who were point towards the boy and talking to each other, one of the boys went over to the boy and tapped his shoulder.

The boy shook his head not bothering to turn around, giving the other boy a clear _go away_ message. "Don't be such a baby! Man up you wimp!" The boy sneered before stalking back to his little group. A small movement caught John's attention on the other side of the hall, a group of three boys watched the depressed looking boy unload his books into his locker. By the looks of things John concluded these three boys were the depressed boy's friends, but for some reason they didn't greet him today.

A two minute warning bell rang and the students began scattering to their respective classrooms, those who passed the depressed boy still spoke in whispers and stared as they passed, but the boy remained at his locker unloading each item out of his bag, one thing at a time. The heroes stood watching the boy suspiciously. Then the bell rang signaling the school day's official start.

The sound of heavy shoes on the stone floor made the heroes look up, a man in a sharp blue suit with a white stripped tie strutted down the hallway. The man spotted the depressed boy, "Hey! You there, young man, why aren't you in class, I'm going to have to give you a detention." The boy didn't respond he continued to empty his bag. The man approached the boy and grabbed his shoulder spinning him around, "I was talking to—,"

The man froze, as did the heroes, the sight before them would have frozen anyone. The boy was dressed in the school's standard uniform, a blue jacket, white button up shirt, gold tie, and tan slacks. His apparel didn't flood the heroes with a variety of emotions, it was his over all appearance.

The boys face was sheet white except for dark purple rings under his eyes. His eyes seemed as if someone had pushed them far into his head. The eyes that should have been a sparkling blue were a horrid dark grey with the veins a dark red reminiscent of pink eye. The boy's hollow cheeks gave him a haunted look. His lips—which like any other child's should have been pink—were pale with grey cracks lining their dry surface. Instead of a broad smile, the lips were a thin, thin line almost disappearing. The hunched stance gave the boy a beaten, defeated look, he could have been mistaken for death. This boy had been through hell and was obviously still there.

The man who gripped his shoulder let his hand fall, "I—I—apologize. I—I'm sorry Mr. Wayne... had I—I know it was y—you I—I wouldn't have..."

A young Bruce blankly stared at the man, he was the husk of a human, void of life. The only human like sign about him was the deep grief hidden in his dark eyes.

Shayera looked at the young Bruce and had never seen anything so horrid in her life. She had seen children who lost their homes, their families, but she had never seen any child look so broken. This boy was Bruce, but Shayera struggled to see the resemblance.

John didn't know what to think. He had never been great friends with Batman—although no one could really say they were best buddies with Gotham's Dark Knight—but he knew enough about Bruce Wayne to know what he had gone through. John saw Batman as a hero who just wanted revenge, but the ghost child in front of him said that there was much more to the story than just revenge.

Jason stared, the sight made his mind a mess of sadness and sympathy and he had a hard time sorting out his thoughts.

Zatanna wiped tears from her cheeks. Everything always seemed to happen to Bruce, nothing good ever came to the vigilante, and seeing him like this, as such a young boy, made her heart go out to him even more.

"W-What is your first hour Mr. Wayne?" the man asked.

Bruce stared at the man, his eyes burning holes in the man's soul, practically feeding the man his pain, "Biology I, then Fencing." Bruce's voice was cracked, like he was dehydrated.

The man nodded, "V-Very well, you best be off, just tell your teacher I let you go." Bruce nodded, he turned back to his locker, retrieved two books, and went up the stairs. As he walked the heroes could almost see a cloud of depression hanging on his shoulders.

* * *

Terry whistled as he and Wally walked through the thick fog. "So if you could play any prank on Bats what would it be," Wally asked.

"Something original," Terry said simply.

"Like wha—,"

"Look," Terry nodded in the direction of a shape in the distance.

Wally sped up a bit, "What do you think it—Whoa!" Wally and Terry both vanished from the spot they were and reappeared in a brightly lit Wayne Manor.

"Bruce you had better be good, Santa is watching you," called a musical voice. Terry and Wally turned a moment to late allowing a young Bruce ran right through them.

Wally shivered, "Creepy!"

"Come on mom!" The young joyful Bruce cried, he looked to be six or seven, he was in a small tux and his bright blue eye shown with happiness and a blinding smile grew on from his mouth. A young woman in her mid-to-late thirties followed Bruce into the room. She wore a deep navy, off the shoulder dress that made her eyes sparkle and her blond hair shine.

"Slow down Bruce! What is the rush?" Martha asked trying to hold back a smile at her adorable son.

"I want to see dad! I didn't get to see him this morning and he said we would make a special Christmas eve eve lunch." Bruce said with a small scowl.

Martha bent down in front of her son, "You know he would have loved to stay, but there was an emergency at the hospital, we will see him when we get to Stacy and Bill's party." Bruce nodded and Martha straightened his tie, "Good, now lets get going, or else your father is gong to beat us there." Bruce hurried to the foyer with his mother following smiling to herself.

Wally was about to say something when Bruce's voice interrupted him. "Come on Dad!" Wally turned towards the sound which was the same arch way Bruce and his mother first came through. Wally was even more confused as young Bruce walked through the archway in blue and white striped pajamas pulling Thomas Wayne behind him.

"Howwwwwww come you're never this joyful every other morning when I wake you up," Thomas asked his son not bothering to stifle his yawn. Thomas wore green silk pajamas with a deep red robe over them, his black hair was messy and his brown eyes still filled with sleep.

"Cause its Christmas!" Bruce exclaimed.

"Oh sure...just because gifts await you have to get up extra early," Thomas said rolling his eyes. "You know maybe I'll just go back to bed."

Bruce dropped his father's hand and turned around a look of complete horror written across his face. "Y-you can't we always make cinnamon rolls Christmas morning...it's—it's tradition." Bruce whispered.

Thomas looked down at his son in surprise, "Bruce it was just a joke, I wouldn't break tradition." Thomas picked Bruce up and began walking towards the kitchen, "Let's see if Alfred will help." Bruce nodded.

Terry and Wally followed the pair as the wandered through the manor to the large Wayne kitchen. Alfred was in the kitchen pulling out mixing bowls and cooking utensils. "Ah, morning Master Thomas, Young Master Bruce."

"Morning Alfred!" Bruce chirped, pushing off his father's chest, a clear sign of wanting to get down.

Thomas set his son down, "M-mmmerry Christmas Alfred," Thomas yawned gladly accepting the cup of coffee Alfred offered him.

"It is a very Merry Christmas sir, and a white one at that," Alfred said with a smile briefly shifting his eyes out the large kitchen window to the lawns.

Bruce ran to the booth-like table in the far corner of the kitchen. He clambered onto one of the benches and pressed his face and hands to the cold surface of the window. The lawns were covered with a fresh layer of snow and large fat flakes still fell from the grey sky. Bruce turned back to father and his grandfather figure, "Can we go sledding later?"

"And skip the presents?" Thomas asked teasingly, "Sure!"

"That's not what I meant dad!" Bruce whined, "I meant after we open presents."

Thomas let out an extremely exaggerated sign, "I guess so." Bruce smiled and climbed off the bench and hugged his father.

"I believe we should start on those cinnamon rolls if they are to be done before Madam Martha is awake." Alfred said.

Wally turned to Terry as the trio began creating the dough for the pastries. "So what do you think this is?"

"Bruce's last Christmas," Terry replied.

"Oh..." Wally felt guilt well up in his gut for some reason, "When did his parents...?"

"July." Terry stated.

There was a loud rumble and the whole manor trembled and Terry and Wally were pitched forward into blackness.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **Hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are a greatly appreciate, so is constructive criticism, but no flames.

**-Jopo :)**


	10. My Childhood Was Ripped From Me

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening:** Wally has separated from his group and met Terry McGinnis. The others continue to stumble through memories learning far more about their brooding friend than they ever thought possible.

**Note: **This has been updated and edited as of 10/16/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 10:**** My Childhood was Ripped From Me**

Tim peered into the room; Donna, Dick, Inza, and Kent all looking in over his shoulder. Tim slipped through the cracked door and glanced around the dark room. He paused spotting Bruce standing at the far wall, his forehead pressed against a portrait and an open bottle of scotch in one hand.

Bruce was whispering to himself in anger, "Help me. What would you do? I'm not cut out for this. Please just give a hint of what I should do. I haven't felt this helpless since you died."

Tim stood frozen, his adopted father was speaking to a portrait of his own father. "Bruce?" Tim asked timidly, his voice shaking slightly. Bruce turned around and stared at his youngest. Bruce braced himself for impact as Tim ran towards him, but instead of knocking him to the ground like he thought Tim would, he felt two arms wrap around him. "I'm sorry." Tim whispered.

Surprised, Bruce looked down at Tim before retuning the hug with more emotion than the present day Bruce had ever shown. "I'm sorry too. This is my fault."

Dick was jealous of his younger brother. Tim was able to get Bruce show him affection and got the mighty Batman to apologize. At Bruce's last words however Dick felt as if he had just been stabbed in the gut and someone was twisting the blade, he unclenched his fists, wishing he had known this before he cut all ties with Bruce.

Bruce pulled away from his son and straightened. Tim followed his lead. "Do you miss him?" Tim asked looking at the portrait of Thomas Wayne.

Bruce nodded, "Yes, but I've moved passed missing them; although he would know what to do right now, he always knew how to keep the peace."

"I'm sorry Bruce, I didn't think you'd miss Dick either." Tim sighed.

Bruce ran a hand through his own hair. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys, you keep me sane, grounded. And Dick—Dick reminds me of my dad, which makes me miss him even more."

"Are you going to apologize?" Tim asked.

"Dick wouldn't accept even if I did. We both crossed the line and said things that only rage allows the heart to reveal. I don't think he'll ever forgive me. I want you, Barbra, and Cass to stay in touch with him though, our fight shouldn't deprive you of a brother." Bruce said resting a hand on Tim's shoulder.

Tim ground his teeth, "I'm pissed off at him, he lied to me. He didn't have the guts to tell me he was leaving. He treated me like a child, if he really cared he would have told me he was leaving for good."

Bruce sighed, "Tim, he needs you more than you know, although this may not be the best home, I believe he is homesick. You have been brothers and best friends since you met, don't let our argument get in the way of that."

There was a loud rumble and the heroes found themselves back in the abyss, only this was different from before.

* * *

"Leave!" A deep, emotionless voice growled threateningly.

Clark stopped mid stride, "Hello?" he asked the dark abyss around them.

"Get out!" the voice growled becoming deathly quiet.

"That isn't nice. Why are you being so mean?" the voice of a young boy asked.

"Who are you?" J'onn asked his eyes aglow peering into the abyss.

The was a low, bark of a laugh. "I'm the dark, the fear."

"Be nice." The boy reprimanded, he sounded as if he was scolding the deep scary voice.

"What the hell," Tim exclaimed gripping Barbra's wheelchair so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Clark cleared his throat nervously, "Show yourselves."

"Why should we succumb to the _all powerful _metas? You've done _nothing_ for us." The monstrous voice thundered. The voice seemed too dark and angry even for this nearly black abyss.

"We've help save mankind many times." Clark gulped. "We use our powers for good."

The ground rumbled with the reply. "What's to stop you from taking over the world? Like the Justice Lords?"

Clark stepped forward, his anger washing away his uneasiness, "I would never become like _them!_ I would _never_ kill!"

The voice was quiet again, but still held a strong commanding power, "Nothing is impossible."

"Come out and fight me then!" Clark yelled.

"Clark, no! Don't let him rile you up, he want's you to fight." Barbra reasoned.

"Barbra is right Superman, you need to calm down." J'onn agreed.

The thundering voice dropped to a bone-chilling tone, "I could kill you here, destroy you, and Superman would be lost to the world. And the best part...I don't need kryptonite to do it." Superman blanched, the color draining from his face.

"Stop! Stop Fighting! Stop Being Mean! Just Stop!" the voice of the boy yelled. J'onn, Clark, Tim, and Barbra all looked to see a seven year old Bruce standing in front of them with his back to them. He was looking up, a scowl visible on his face. He turned to the heroes and smiled. The hairs on Clark, Tim, and Barbra's arms all stood on end and J'onn stopped in shock. The smile was too happy, too happy for Bruce anyway. It was eerie how happy and joyful this young Bruce looked.

"Who—Who are you?" Tim asked.

"I'm Bruce of course!" Bruce smiled that blinding smile and Tim stumbled back. "What's wrong?" Bruce's face fell, the smile vanishing to be replaced by a slight frown. Tim just shook his head and took another step back.

"They don't believe you," the deep rumbling voice growled. A large shape began to take form behind the young Bruce. The shadows and darkness swirled together and formed the basic shape of a man. The figure was draped in a long cape of shadows, and a cowl with long pointed ears grew from the figure's head. Two dark red slits formed creating the creature's eyes, as the body became more detailed the heroes could see a Batsuit expand from the creature, coving it's body. This creature looked like Batman, but it wasn't—couldn't be.

Shadows seemed to issue from the creature, the cape billowed wildly at it's feet, it looked to be apart of the darkness around it. It stood an easy seven feet, towering over Clark; it's shoulders broad as a doorway, were hunched forward in a position the real Batman would take. The dark red eyes glowed as they glared down at the small group of four. The thing lifted a hand and placed it on young Bruce's shoulder. The hand was in-what looked to be—a black gauntlet, but the fingers were pointed; shadows crept from the recesses of the glove and tumbled down young Bruce's shoulder. The creature bent down to Bruce's ear, "They don't believe you're Bruce."

Bruce who hadn't moved his gaze from the heroes began to tremble slightly, "You don't believe me?"

"No, they don't. Let me deal with them my way." the creature growled in it's dark thundering voice.

Bruce seemed to be considering the idea before he shook his head. "No. That would be mean. Stop doing that to me. I like being nice. And you know what? I don't care if they don't believe that I'm Bruce, because as long as I know that I'm Bruce I'm okay." Bruce looked up into the creature's face, "You are evil and a horrible influence and very good at persuading people. No wonder he listens to you so much."

"Not enough, though." the creature growled.

Bruce ignored the comment and turned back to the cowering four, "Will you at least tell me why you don't think I'm Bruce? Even though I am."

Barbra was the first to find her voice, "Bruce has never smiled the way you do, ...and—and it is very unnerving to see someone who 'is' Bruce smile like that."

"You're happy!" Clark blurted out, his anger forgotten. "Bruce has never been happy... especially since..."

"Oh... I get it! You don't understand. We," Bruce gestured to himself and the creature behind him, "are my conscience. Well, not my conscience, but _his, _the unhappy Bruce that you seem to be expecting." The four exchanged looks. Bruce pointed to himself, "I'm his Good. And he," Bruce waved to the creature, "is his Evil. Right and wrong, you know."

"You're telling me, you are the voices in Bruce's head that tell him what is right and wrong?" Tim asked.

"No silly. He already knows that, we help him make choices based on right and wrong," Bruce said. Tim didn't quite understand, that was what he had just asked.

"Does he listen to you equally?" Barbra asked.

The young Bruce's head bent the tiniest bit. "No, he listens to him more," Bruce motioned to the creature again.

"Not enough, he doesn't see the need to kill." the creature growled.

Bruce sighed, "But he did... once upon a time." Bruce smiled again, "But you are right, he doesn't anymore."

The heroes froze. 'He did...' what did that mean?

"I bet it is odd to see me smiling, but my parents never died, that is why I'm the way I am." Bruce continued.

"How is it possible for you to have a mother and father, if Batman does not?" J'onn asked.

Bruce turned to J'onn, "Well technically they aren't alive, but neither am I. I am simply part of my—Bruce's—mind. I see the good in everyone and everything; I believe our parents didn't die, because they can't possible die with me carrying their memory. Does that make sense?"

"A little," Tim said uneasily. Barbra nodded agreeing with Tim, she could make pretty good sense of the whole thing, although it was still a little fuzzy around the edges.

* * *

Wally and Terry walked through the darkness swapping stories about Bruce. Wally still wasn't sure how Terry knew so much, or what exactly he was to Bruce, but he wasn't complaining at the moment because he enjoy the company, he shuddered at the thought of Terry not being with him.

Wally looked forward and saw a faint yellowish glow, he stopped, "What is that?"

Terry looked in the same direction and saw the same faint yellow glow, "I don't know, but there is another one," Terry said seeing another faint glow appear above the first one.

The duo continued to squint into the darkness looking for more—and more soon appeared. The yellow glows were still faint, but they were growing in number rapidly, all over the place, all around them. Wally thought they looked like stretched out stars due to their elongated appearance.

Terry began to cautiously walk towards the yellow things and Wally followed, as they got closer the brighter the glow became. Standing in the middle of all the yellow things the two men could make out, what looked liked numbers and letters, however they were still fuzzy and hard to see clearly.

Wally reached out, but hesitated, he wasn't sure he wanted to touch anything else in Bruce's mind in fear that something would happen to him. Wally glanced at Terry.

"Might's'well," Terry said not stopping Wally.

Wally stretched his hand the remaining inches and touched one of the yellow things. Upon contact all of the yellow things flashed brightly blinding Terry and Wally. Wally snapped his eyes shut and when nothing happened he slowly opened one and then the other. "...uh..."

"Yeah," Terry agreed, understanding what Wally was unable to put into words. Terry began turning in circles, looking at everything around and above him.

"They're..."

"Formulas," Terry finished.

"There must be millions," Wally murmured.

"Wouldn't surprise me," Terry said.

All around them the yellow glowing things had turned into formulas floating in the air all around the two men. Some were simple with only numbers and one variable, others were all variables, some were words, other symbols; it was astounding.

Terry looked at a glowing formula near him, "Its looks like light painting, you know, what people do with glow sticks and cameras."

Wally nodded in agreement. "Kinda beautiful in a weird way."

"Very," Terry nodded.

"Hey, I know this one, I hated it when I took algebra in 8th grade," Wally said gazing at the pythagorean theorem. He reached out and touched it, it flashed briefly and all the other formulas vanished. The pythagorean theorem expanded and branched off into other formulas and versions of the equation.

"Ick, math," Terry scoffed.

"It's like a textbook," Wally said, he touch the theorem again and it's branches disappeared and the other formulas appeared once more.

"Let keep moving," Terry said ducking around the glowing formulas as he walked.

Wally followed closely behind still looking up at all the formulas in awe, "So Bats, knows all this stuff... bet school was a breeze."

Terry laughed, "Probably." They continued walking and soon the yellow glow of the formulas were gone. Wally stopped and Terry, bumped into him, "What is it?" Wally didn't reply, but Terry got his answer, in front of them was a wall of names. The names were in lists that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Shelby Adler," Wally said reading one of the names. Suddenly all the names disappeared except for Shelby's. Her name enlarge and a picture of a short brunette with grey eyes appeared under the name, a list of information sprouted next to it. Wally began to read it. "_Name_: Shelby F. Alder. _Gender_: Female. _Date of Birth:_ January 2, 1973. _Age:_ 25." Wally skimmed through most of it until he found something of interest, "_Relationship/History with Subject: _Met at 1996 Falcon Gala on February 8th. Subject showed much interest in myself, probably for the money, or simply the wish to bed the 'Great Bruce Wayne.' Took subject to a hotel and had relations, left subject in bed alone in the morning. Encountered subject at Jefferson Gala on April 19th, subject wasn't please to see me, received a slap and haven't heard from subject since. Saw subject at George Michael's birthday, no contact made."

"It's a profile," Terry said briefly going over the information. "Try another name."

"Um...Wally." Wally said, Shelby's information vanished, her name shrunk and returned to the list the reappeared. Nineteen names came forward that included the name Wally while the lists of other names disappeared. Wally looked through the names, but didn't see his among the others. "I'm not here, but someone named Dolly Wally is," Wally said with a snicker.

"Try your full name." Terry suggested.

Wally made a face, he should have known that. "Wallace." The names floated back to the lists that reappeared yet again, and this time names with Wallace came forward. "Lauren Wallace, Penelope Wallace, Wallace Wallace, Yanii Wallace. Wallace Hickel. Bruce sure knows a lot of people with the name Wallace." Wally said reading the huge list of names in front of him. "Hey, there I am, Wallace West." When he said his name the others vanished and his profile appeared, next to his profile was another profile, only it was titled _The Flash_.

"Wallace Rudolph West. Male. Born June 6th 1978. 21 years old. Born in Blue Valley, Nebraska. Currently lives in Apartment C7, 506 Herald Ave., Central City, Kansas. Caucasian. Blood type, AB positive. Body Type: athletic. 6 foot, 183 pounds. Green eyes, red hair. Born to Mary and Rudolph West." Terry paused, "I think Bruce knows absolutely everything about you."

"Yeah, maybe more than I do, he has all of my family listed, all the way to my third cousin by marriage. He even has all of my powers listed," Wally said looking at the Flash profile.

"That's a good picture of you," Terry joked.

"It is, other than the measurement lines," Wally shuddered, "Creepy, he knows me better than I do."

"That's Bruce for you." Terry replied flippantly.

A gin slowly spread across his face, "Wonder what it says about Cass, I know nothing about her." Before Terry could say anything Wally had said Cass' name and her profile appeared.

Wally began to read it, "Whoa, intense... the League of Assassins," Wally's eyes widened. "...Holy shit! She impaled her mother, killing her...who survived through the Lazarus Pits." Wally stopped reading Cassandra's history, "No wonder she's so...so odd."

Terry raised an eyebrow at the word Wally used, but didn't comment on it. "Bruce Wayne." Four names pulled up reading Bruce Wayne. "Bruce Thomas Wayne," Terry said. Bruce's profile popped up, it was like all the others only the amount of information was much more vast.

"Whoa," Wally said looking at the information in front of him. "Hey... wow, Bruce was in a Russian prison? The things you don't know."

"Tell me about it," Terry nodded.

* * *

Diana and Cass grabbed the nearest wall for support as the ground began to tremble violently, there was sound similar to a sonic boom and then everything went dark.

"Cassandra?" Diana asked. There was no reply. Diana closed her eyes and opened them again, but nothing changed, it was still impossible to see.

"Bruce," A sweet, sing-song voice called.

"Coming," a deep baritone voice called back, Diana recognized Bruce's voice immediately. Taking uneasy, blind steps forward Diana headed in the direction of Bruce's voice. Diana snapped her eyes shut at the brightness that suddenly flooded her. Squinting she could make out four figures and a large triangular... thing. Blinking away the spots Diana could not believe what she was seeing, she stood in Wayne Manor's main living room, which was gayly decorated, gazing at Bruce, Alfred, and Martha and Thomas Wayne.

"I'm so glad you could make it home for Christmas," Martha said.

Bruce smiled and gave Martha a kiss on the cheek, "Wouldn't miss it."

"It is good to have you home again," Thomas grinned slapping Bruce on the back.

Martha sunk into the red plush couch and motioned for Alfred, who was standing off to the side without his usually white gloves and tailed jacket, to join her. "I really wish you'd bring a friend though," Martha sighed wishfully.

"Oh I quite agree Miss Martha," Alfred said with a sly smile.

"Subtly really isn't your strong suit mother," Bruce observed.

Martha let out a small laugh, "I wasn't going for subtle, really Bruce you need to find yourself a nice girl."

"Mom," Bruce groaned like a teenager, he turned to his father, "Are you really just going to let her go on like this."

"Dear, can't you see that Bruce wishes to drop the subject?" Thomas' smile grew, "You'll have to wait until dinner when the Wellingtons arrive, after all their daughter is in town for the holidays too."

Bruce sighed dejectedly, "Fine you win."

A gun fired and no one moved, Diana looked around and saw a man standing behind Thomas. "No, I believe I win!" The man declared gleefully. Thomas' smile disappeared and was replaced by a look of pain, he touched his chest and when he pulled his hand away it shined with a thick ruby liquid. Confusion accompanied the look of pain and Thomas staggered forward.

Martha screamed and Bruce and Alfred rushed forward to catch Thomas. "Dad!" Bruce yelled placing his hand on his father's chest. Thomas coughed and blood spilled from his mouth, "I'm sorry Bruce, it was only a joke...y-you don't need a girl..."

"Shh, shhh, Master Thomas, please, save your breath." Alfred whispered.

"Woopsie! Slip o' da finger. Sorry 'bout that," The man said, Diana recognized the man as the Joker, his make-up was smeared and his red grin was running into the white face paint, and the black circles around his eyes were fading into the white making it look like he'd been wearing mascara and he cried.

"You? What do you want?" Bruce growled, a hint of desperation in his voice.

The Joker scratched his head, "Um...wait I know this one...uh..." The Joker rubbed his chin and then clapped his hands together, holding the gun, "You-," he paused licking his lips his face becoming hard, "-dead."

"Why did you shoot my father then?" Bruce yelled.

The Joker laughed, his steely manner vanishing before Diana could blink, "Well, why kill you if I can make you suffer, so I've decided to let you live," he turned to Martha, who was curled into the farthest corner of the couch crying, and pointed the gun in her direction. He closed one eye, cocked his head to the side and took aim, his tongue stuck out the side of his mouth in concentration. "but..." he paused, squeezed both eyes shut and pulled the trigger.

Diana gasped as a red stain rapidly began to grow on Martha's white blouse, she fell to the floor and Diana watched in horror as Bruce moved from his still bleeding father to his now dead mother, tears streaming down his face.

The Joker slowly opened one eye and then the other, "...She is going to die," he said continuing his previous statement.

"Mom?" Bruce cried, holding his mother in his arms and crying to her shoulder.

"Ooo, looks like she's already dead," The Joker tutted grimly. Bruce stood, his fists clenched by his side, rage burning in his eyes. "Now, now, don't do anything to get the old man killed," the Joker advised pointing the gun in Alfred's direction.

"Don't you dare," Bruce snapped.

The Joker cackled, "Oh I love a challenge! _Bang!_" he said mimicking shooting Alfred. A second later another gunshot echoed in the room and Alfred laid dead next to Thomas. Diana collapsed onto her knees and allowed her tears to flow.

"NO!" yelled Bruce.

"A challenge is a challenge, now it's your turn. If you want your dear daddy to live shut down all funds for the Justice League and destroy their floating ship. You have thirty-two hours," The Joker licked his lips and approached Thomas.

"Stay back!" Bruce yelled.

"Now, now Brucie, I can't do that, back up a bit," The Joker said waving the gun at Bruce. When Bruce was a fair distance away the Joker pulled out a circular devised and drove it's spikes into Thomas' chest, Thomas gasped and coughed. "Now this little trick will keep your dear ol' dad alive for the time you have, if you don't complete the challenge you can say goodbye to daddy here." The Joker declared licking his lips.

"I won't let you do this, the police won't let you do this," Bruce declared.

The Joker cackled, "The police? Poor, naïve Brucie, almost all of the police work for one criminal or another, they'd never rat us out." The Joker began to leave, "Thirty-two hours Brucie."

Diana stood and slowly approached Bruce who was rooted to the floor. "Bruce?" She asked wiping her eyes.

Bruce looked up at her, a small smile flashed across his face, "Hey." Diana took a step back, Bruce had just been crying over Martha and Alfred and now he almost looked content. Diana stumbled and threw a hand out to catch herself, her hand met cool, rough brick. She looked around, she and Bruce were standing on the side of a street with a little girl standing in front of them. Bruce caught Diana's other hand, "Careful Princess, wouldn't want you to get your dress dirty." Diana looked down, she was wearing a one-shoulder scarlet dress and a black knee-high trench coat.

"Daddy look, a kitten," the little girl said running forward to follow a small bundle of fur that went bounding down a side street.

"Andrea!" Bruce called hurrying after the girl, Diana followed him, still unable to wrap her mind around the situation. She almost ran into Bruce who was kneeling down with a hand on the girl's shoulder, "What did I tell you about running off?" Bruce questioned with the Bat edge creeping into his voice.

Diana looked at the little girl, she had wavy blond hair and blue eyes that, at the moment were wide and slightly apologetic, "Not to do it." The girl looked up at Bruce, who ran a hand through his hair, "I'm sorry daddy!" She exclaimed flinging herself into Bruce's arms.

Bruce slowly returned the gesture, "Don't forget your mom," Diana heard Bruce whisper.

The little girl let go of Bruce and turned to Diana, "I'm sorry mama."

Diana bent down and wiped a stray tear from Andrea's face, "It's okay."

Andrea smiled, "I love you," She put her arms around Diana's neck in a hug; Diana's body was flooded with a warm tingling and her heart felt like it was going to burst.

"I love you too my little sun and stars." Diana whispered back. She momentarily froze upon hearing her own words, they had just flowed from her mouth, rolling off her tongue as if she said it every day, it seem so natural.

"Stand up!" A man barked. Diana pulled Andrea closer to her, and looked at Bruce's feet, she could tell by the sudden movement in his pant leg that he was tense, ready for action. "I said stand up," the man yelled. Slowly Diana began to rise. "Leave the girl on the ground." Diana pulled Andrea's arms from around her neck, but held tightly onto one of her hands.

When she was standing, Diana slowly turned, she caught a glimpse of Bruce's face, which had donned the blank, dark mask of the Batman; she did a double take when she saw his eyes, there was fear behind the cold mask; she was positive it was fear that was being hidden. Trying to ignore the shiver that traveled down her spine, Diana continued to turn until she was facing the commanding male.

The man looked to be from the slums, he wore a tattered brown jacket and his pants were patched in several places. His face was littered with small scars, his nose was crooked from, what Diana assumed to be, multiple breaks. Underneath the mud covered hat was an unruly mess of brown hair which covered one of the man's brown eyes; his chapped lips were pulled back displaying yellow teeth in desperate need of braces.

Diana began thinking of how to get out of the situation or at least disarm the man without allowing him to fire. She realized the man was to far from both herself and Bruce for either of them to attack him without giving him time to shoot. The man had obviously done this before and was ready for just about everything, Diana smirked inwardly, he probably wasn't prepared for Wonder Woman though.

"Your wallet," the man commanded Bruce. As Bruce began to reach for his wallet in his breast pocket the man stopped him, "Stop, I want the girl to get it." Diana gripped Andrea's hand even tighter and glanced at Bruce, angry blazed in his eyes. This man knew exactly what he was doing, he wasn't going to give them a chance to disarm him or reach for a weapon. "Now!" The man boomed.

Diana could feel Andrea pull at her hand, "No," she choked out.

"I need to mama, please let go." Andrea asked trying to pull her hand from Diana's.

The gun fired and a bullet imbedded itself into the wall behind them, "Now, means now." The man said forcefully, the unspoken threat hanging in the air.

When the gun fired Andrea was able to pulled her hand from Diana's, she slowly walked over to Bruce and tried to reach his breast pocket, she stood on her toes groping the jacket. "Daddy I can't reach," she told Bruce. Not taking his eyes off the mugger, Bruce kelt down and Andrea reached into his inside pocket and pulled out his wallet.

"Bring it here," The man commanded. Andrea took two steps forward, but stopped. He pointed his gun at her, but she still didn't move. "Now little girl!" Andrea took a step forward and a cat ran in front of her, a trash can falling over in its wake. A gun shot echoed in the narrow street.

"Andrea," Diana screamed, she flew forward to catch her daughter. Three more shots echoed and Diana felt a sharp pull in her gut. Bruce was holding Andrea in his arms, he met Diana's eyes. Looking down Diana pulled her hand away from her gut to see blood dripping from her hand.

"Diana!" Bruce exclaimed shifting his daughter and grabbing Diana. Diana shook her head and looked down as a dark stain began to spread across her already red dress. She could feel the warmth of her own blood and a growing burning sensation.

"I'm okay... Andrea, help her," She said with slight grimace, how could this be happening, she shouldn't be bleeding, this wasn't her real body, she was in Bruce's mind for god sakes, not on the actual streets of Gotham, right? But the pain, by the gods the pain was so real.

Bruce lifted their bleeding daughter and set her between them, she was pale and cold. "Mama?" it was no more than a whisper, but Diana heard it and immediately responded, grabbing her daughter's hand.

"We're here," Bruce said unable to keep the desperation out of his voice.

Andrea shifted the tiniest bit, "...love...you."

"We love you too," Diana replied hoarsely. A small smile crept over Andrea's face before her hand became a lead weight in Diana's.

"No!" Bruce exclaimed tears falling down his cheeks.

Diana let her daughter's hand slide from her own and a pain worse than the one in her gut ripping at her heart. She felt cool metal brush her finger tips and saw a small gold bracelet with five sapphires resting on Andrea's wrist. Looking at Bruce she could see a storm of emotion swirling behind his eyes, the most recognizable one, she was sure, mirrored her own. Diana pulled Bruce toward her, her hand on the back of his neck as he rested his forehead against hers and they cried together for Andrea.

Bruce opened his eyes and met Diana's, "No. Not you to. I can't loose you too."

Diana leaned forward and silenced Bruce with a kiss, she conveyed her love through the simple gesture and found Bruce returned it with just as much. Diana pulled back and Bruce began to fade. "No. Diana! No!"

Darkness engulfed her, but the burning pain in her abdomen was still there and she could feel her blood oozing out of the wounds.

* * *

John, Shayera, Jason, and Zatanna watched as the manor materialized around them. They immediately spotted the young corpse like Bruce climbing the huge grand staircase.

"Master Bruce," a younger Alfred called entering the foyer. "Master Bruce what would you like for dinner?"

Without turning, or stopping Bruce replied in his broken voice, "I'm not hungry Alfred, cook whatever you would like."

"Master Bruce you haven't eaten all day, it isn't healthy for a young boy to skip all his meals," Alfred advised calmly.

Bruce paused, "You know Alfred, I don't feel like a boy though, I feel... like the happiness has been sucked from my very soul and that it won't return because I don't deserve it. Alfred, boys are supposed to be full of energy and have uncontainable imaginations and ideas, I have neither anymore so I don't believe I need to eat like a regular boy would, because I'm not." With that said Bruce disappeared up the stairs. Alfred took out a handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes while heading back the way he came.

The four heroes were stunned into silence, but followed Bruce up the stairs. Bruce entered his room which the heroes found to be spotless, there wasn't a thing out of place, they did however notice two boxes full of toys lying next to the bed. Bruce stacked the two boxes and picked them up, he carried them back downstairs and down a wide hallway to huge glass windows that looked over the main back lawn. He opened one of the glass doors and stepped onto the ridiculously large patio. As he made his way down to the lower patio he opened a drawer next to the grill and grabbed something, placing it into the top box.

He carried the boxes to the stairs that end at the lawn and placed them into a red wagon that was next to the stairs. The group of four trudged after Bruce for ten minutes before he stopped. They saw a pile of ash on the pristine lawn and around it the grass was brown from what looked to be extreme heat. Bruce opened the top box and pulled out a newspaper, he began to crumple it up page by page, after he was finished he placed toys on top of the crumpled newspaper.

Bruce continued to pile the toys on the ashes and newspaper while the heroes watched on in confusion. Bruce finally stopped, he placed the empty boxes on the pile and grabbed a bottle from the wagon.

"He's got lighter fluid," John practically yelled.

"Not surprising, I mean isn't it obvious he's going to burn it?" Jason asked.

John gawked, "Yeah, but what person gives an eight year old lighter fluid?"

"He's Bruce Wayne," Zatanna said as if that answered the question, which for the most part it did.

Bruce splashed the liquid on the pile before retrieving a lighter from the wagon, he lit the pile on fire and stood back as the flames engulfed his playthings. "If a childhood defines a person when they are older, how will I be defined if I don't have a childhood?" Bruce asked quietly.

For a moment the heroes believed Bruce was addressing them, but when a crisp British voice cut through the air they realized Alfred stood behind them gazing at Bruce, "Your childhood is what you make it Master Bruce."

"My childhood was ripped from me on June 26th at 10:47pm," Bruce replied in his hoarse monotone while staring searchingly into the flames, his voice lowered to a barely audible whisper, "...just as my parents were ripped from this world."

Alfred's chin dropped an inch in defeat and sadness; there was a pregnant paused before he spoke, "Would you like to accompany me to the orphanage so don't have to burn the other boxes?"

"It was just these boxed..." Bruce stared into the flames lost in thought. Alfred cleared his throat and Bruce was pulled from the flames' spell, "Thank you for the offer, but I will stay here."

"Very well Sir, I will be back shortly," Alfred informed, turning in the direction of the manor.

Bruce continued to stare at the flames ignoring Alfred, he continued to stand there, but the surrounding slowly shifted and moments lated Bruce stood before his locker getting ready to close it. When he did the heroes notice this Bruce looked older than the last one. His eyes were so dark they looked almost black, but they no longer held the pain they had before, either that or Bruce had learned how to hide it, the latter being the more likely. His hair was combed back smoothly and his shoulders thrown back in good posture, but it still looked like a heavy wight rested on him. He was still pale, but less so. Bruce adjusted his books at his side before walking down the hallway with an air of superiority and... anger, annoyance, the heroes could quite place the last one.

As they tailed after Bruce they noticed the other students still followed him with their eyes and whispered to each other as he passed, but Bruce ignored it all and continued on his way. John noticed many of the older girls blushing as he passed and hid behind their books, it seemed Bruce was already attracting the ladies, John wondered if he realized it.

"Whoa! Talk about a growth spurt," Jason said wide eyed as Bruce began to grow a good ten inches taller than he was, he also seemed to fill out in the shoulders. The heroes studied him, but nothing other than that changed. The hallways on the other hand widened and transformed completely, it was still a school, but by the looks of the other kids it was a high school. Bruce's uniform now consisted of tan slacks, a red button down shirt, a black and red tie, and a black jacket.

"He's definitely got the girls' attention now," John muttered to himself.

"Wha—Oh, haha, look at them all, they're giggling like idiots," Shayera said with a bark of laughter observing the girls who tracked Bruce with their eyes.

"There years older too," Jason said with a smirk.

A loud laugh echoed down the hallway and everyone looked back to the source. Walking down the hallway in Bruce's direction was a tall blonde teenager. The teen's jacket was flung casually over his should and the two top buttons on his shirt were undone, his green eyes shown with mirth and a cocky smirk was plaster across his face. Two other boys were on either side of him laughing along with him while two blondes in skimpy uniforms followed behind them.

Whispers flew through the hallway.

"That's Oliver Queen."

"I heard this is his eleventh school."

"...got kick out for pulling pranks."

"He's gorgeous!"

"...Queen Industries have nothing on Wayne Enterprises."

"...worth 500 million..."

The student continued to gossip as the blonde and his posse passed, all but one student who continued to walk down the hallway ignoring everything around him.

Oliver sent the girls around him knee weakening smiles, and exchanged smirks with the two guys beside him. One of the guys nudged him and waved in Bruce's direction, he said something to Oliver, like he was explaining something then let out a small chuckle and gave Bruce's back a _what-a-creep_ glare.

A look of curiosity crossed Oliver's face before being replaced with a look of pure smug cockiness. Oliver speed up to a light jog and caught up with Bruce. Slowing back down to a walk he placed a hand on Bruce's should and the entire hallway gasped as if one collective body, John didn't think such a thing could be done. "Hey kid."

Bruce didn't even pause, he kept right on walking letting Oliver's hand fall off his shoulder. Oliver speed up and placed his hand on Bruce's should once more, but this time he spun Bruce around. Looks of horror crossed many of the other students faces and Oliver's two lackeys stepped back in shock.

"Hey kid, didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to ignore people." Oliver asked. The whole student body stopped breathing and tried to flatten themselves against the lockers.

Bruce looked up at Oliver, his eyes flashed with blind rage that caught Oliver off guard causing him to take a step back though his hand remained where it rested. Bruce's eyes were back to there normal dark, dead self before Oliver or the heroes could blink. "Don't touch me." Bruce's voice was low and threatening.

"Hey lighten up." Oliver said, Bruce blinked once, his eyes boring into Oliver's. Oliver shook it off, "So you're Wayne, the one and only Bruce Wayne, heir to Wayne Enterprises, huh, guess we have something in common," Oliver said with a smirk, his voice light and carefree.

"Bravo," Bruce deadpanned turning on his heel.

"Whoa! Not so fast kid," Oliver said stepping front of Bruce, blocking his path. "Common now, I'm just trying to get to know you, don't make me hurt you," Oliver joked.

Bruce's face remained blank, "Don't call me kid, Queen."

Oliver smirked, "So you do know me _kid_." Bruce's jaw cracked and the sound practically echoed in the silent hall. "I mean Bruce, sorry," Oliver's smirk grew.

"Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Ollie. Son of Robert-Henry and Moria Queen. Born February 22, in Odella Hospital at 3:09pm, weighed 8oz, 19 inches long. First school you attended was Milton's Prep Academy. Kicked out of your first school at the age of eleven for covering the floors with oil and letting loose a variety of farm animals. I could go on, but I'd rather not waste my time," Bruce said.

"Fanboy?" Ollie asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I like to know who I'm dealing with, and when I take over WE I'll know exactly who I'm dealing with and what negative aspects their company drags with them, like an unqualified heir." Bruce said plainly.

Ollie's eyes narrowed slightly, "Being a prankster doesn't mean I won't fight, I love a good fight and you're asking for one."

Bruce stared at Ollie unblinking, "I wouldn't do that, after all, your father did tell you if you got kicked out of one more school he'd cut you off for good and send you to military school; I believe the consequences for invoking and taking part in a fight is expulsion. You don't want to graduate late, and at a military school no less."

"Kid do want to make it to your freshman year?" Ollie threaten his temper raising.

"I'm fourteen and graduating this spring," Bruce stated monotonously.

Ollie's mouth hung open, but he recovered quickly. "Bet your mom and dad are proud," Ollie said offhandedly.

Bruce blinked once, twice and the next thing they knew Ollie was on the ground passed out, his nose bleeding and Bruce no where to be seen.

* * *

Mr. Terrific and Raven, a former Teen Titan, entered the medical bay on the WatchTower. "Alright, here we are." Mr. Terrific punched in the code for the only locked room in the med bay and the door slid open to reveal fifteen casually dressed people sitting in chairs lining the walls. Near the center of the room on the bed lay a body with medical equipment monitoring it and pumping fluids into it.

"You know who they all are," Mr. Terrific asked. Raven nodded. "Shayera and Jason are fine in what they are wearing, it's the others."

Raven nodded again and turned to the closest chair, in it was young man with bright red hair. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Raven muttered, her eyes glowing black allowing the same blackness to engulf Wally. After a moment the blackness retreated and Ravens eyes returned to their dark violet. In the chair in front of her sat the Flash, no longer Wally West.

Raven turned to the next chair which held Zatanna, she repeated the process and Zatanna soon sat in her magician outfit. Raven approached each hero in turn and they soon became their crime fighting selves.

"Thank you," Mr. Terrific said with a small nod.

Raven's eyes darkened to near black. "Don't thank me, I have done nothing. I hope you are all prepared to face this loss when his time comes, I fear it is much sooner than anyone wishes, I can feel his soul slipping away, he is trying to stay strong but he has little strength left. If they," Raven gestured to the slumped heroes sitting around the room, "Do not leave his mind, they too will be taken by death." Mr. Terrific stood rooted to the spot. Raven attempted a smile, her eyes violet once more, "I have been wrong before though, so do not fret too much."

Mr. Terrific nodded dumbly before following Raven to the transporters. They materialized at the MetroTower and Mr. Terrific made his way to the monitor womb. Turning on the intercom and connecting it with all com-links outside the tower Mr. Terrific flipped the switch, "An announcement to all JL members, the WatchTower is now in proper function and opened once again, monitor duties on the WatchTower will resume immediately. Thank you."

Mr. Terrific ended the announcement and sat down with a sigh, J'onn had instructed him to allow use of the WatchTower after a week had pass. The week passed and no news on what was happening with Batman was received so Mr. Terrific followed his instructions. Leaning back to looked at one of the screens he recalled Raven's words and a shiver of dread ran down his spine.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **Hope you enjoyed it, I attempted to make this chapter less jumpy. Reviews are a greatly appreciate, so is constructive criticism, but no flames please. **Check out my one-shot.**

**-Jopo :)**


	11. A Nightmare That He'd Kept From Them All

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening:** Dick feel's guilty. Bruce's conscience made an appearance. Formulas and a long list were found. Cass dropped off the radar. Diana was shot. Ollie was an ass. And Raven gave warning. (For more read the pervious chapters, it's what they're there for).

**Note: **This has been updated and edited as of 10/16/11.

****WARNING: **This chapter is very _graphic_ and contains _rape__!_ You've been warned.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 11:**** A Nightmare That He'd Kept From Them All**

"Hey, where'd the listy thing go?" Wally asked glancing around for the long lists that were in front of him a mere second ago.

"I don't think they moved, I think we did." Terry replied.

"Where'd we move to?"

"Dunno."

"Hello!" Wally called out into the darkness.

Faint 'Hello''s echoed back to Wally and Terry.

"Cool," Wally grinned. "Hello!" He bellowed. The echoes followed once more. "Did you here that?" Wally asked.

"Hear what," Terry questioned, raising an eyebrow at Wally.

Wally leaned forward the slightest bit, "Someone just called my name."

"You're crazy, I didn't hear anything."

Wally shook his head, "No, I swear someone just called my name. … Hello!" He called again.

'Hello' echoed back, but in between there was the faintest whisper of '_Wally_.'

"Ha! I told you!" Wally proclaimed.

"Hearing your name here isn't necessarily a good thing," Terry speculated.

Wally paled immediately as thoughts of what could be calling his name ran through his head. "Um... w-what do you think it could be?"

"By the pitch of the voice, I'd say female." Terry answered.

"That's not what I meant—wait, a girl, I can handle that," Wally stated.

Terry smirked, "Have you met the women in Bruce's family? I'm sure all of them could take you, I'd be worried if I were you. Hell, even the criminals could kick your ass."

"Thanks for that, I'm feeling really confident right about now."

Terry laughed, "I'm just messing with you. ...well maybe not about the women who've been in Bruce's life, well those not one night stands. Anyway, it's Barbra so no need to worry about it."

"Wait, what?"

"The voice who called your name."

"What about it?"

"It's Barbra."

"What's Barbra?"

"Me, Wally." Wally looked to his left where Barbra was sitting in her wheelchair, Clark gripping the handles, and J'onn and Tim standing beside them.

Wally jumped. "Holy crap! You guys scared the _bejesus_ out of me!" He exclaimed placing his hand over his rapidly beating heart.

"This is the worthlessness of metas I was referring to, this type of hero can do nothing for mankind," A deep, gravely voice spoke from the group's left side. Bruce's Evil stepped out of the darkness that seemed to enshroud him, and let himself been seen by Wally and Terry.

Wally's eyes grew wide and he took two stumbling steps backwards. "W-what is that thing?"

"We're Bruce's conscience," explained the small, happy, young Bruce who stepped forward, "he is his Evil and I'm his Good."

Wally's jaw hung slack and he stared at the great Batman-creature before him whose demeanor screamed 'I would take great pleasure in causing you pain.'

"Are you alright?" young Bruce asked. When he got no response from the motionless Wally, he turned to Barbra, "Is he alright, we didn't do anything to him did we?"

Barbra gave Bruce a reassuring smile, "Of course not, he's just a little shaken by your… companion's appearance."

"He is a bit intimidating, isn't he." Bruce nodded tilting his head to the side, looking at his opposite.

"A bit?" Wally inquired incredulously, snapping out of his trance.

The evil-bat stepped forward towards Wally and loomed over him. "You stupid metas fear everything evil, but you don't know the meaning of evil. I would willingly show you what true evil is." the evil-bat threatened, his voice dropping several octaves.

Wally's eyes eyes widened and the other heroes watched in frightened awe.

"Back off, you need to calm down, you seem to be extra mean and bad today, whats up?" Bruce asked stepping between the evil-bat and Wally.

The evil-bat turned it's red-eyed glare from Wally to Bruce, "Nothing. I am enjoying these metas wondering throughout this powerful mind, trying to help where they cannot." The gravely voice was laced with malice and sarcasm.

"You need to accept their help, I believe they can help us, they can help Bruce," Good proclaimed smiling broadly.

"I suggest we keep moving," J'onn said disrupting any further argument.

Clark nodded, "Agreed."

As the group began to move forward following the young Bruce who skipped ahead, Wally turned to Terry to inquire about the evil-bat, but before any question was voiced they were interrupted by Tim.

"I'm sorry, but who the hell are you, where did you come from, and why are you in Bruce's mind?" Tim asked looking pointedly at Terry.

Clark gave Tim an odd look, before seemingly agreeing and turning his gaze onto the new comer. J'onn, interested in the answer as well, focused his attention on Terry too. Barbra stopped herself from slapping Tim as she realize his question was very reasonable. Everyone' attention, including the evil-bat's was on Terry.

Terry gave them all a mock bow, "Terrence Warren McGinnis, at your service."

"Never heard of you," Tim retorted coldly.

Terry raised an eyebrow at Tim's coolness, "A true Bat, never trusting. But it's no surprise you haven't heard of me; as I told Wally, I'm from the future."

It was Barbra's turn to question the ebony haired young man, "Then why are you here, in Bruce's mind," her voice was just as cold as Tim's if not colder; Clark continued to push her wheelchair, but looked down at Barbra with discontent at her harsh tone, he felt bad for anyone who crossed a member of the Bat-Family or those who got on their bad side.

Terry grinned, "Man I'm glad I meet you in real life. But to your question, Bruce and I have met when he's taken trips to the future. I'm not one hundred percent sure why I'm here, but my best guess would be because Bruce has thought much about my existence, who I am, and how I will come about."

"You are Bruce's son are you not," J'onn inquired in his usual passive voice.

Terry took a step, then leap a short way over the ground before pivoting to face his inquisitors, he began walking backwards so he could talk to them face to face. "Yes and no, it's hard to explain, I haven't even reveled that fact to Bruce, it really is very complicated. To tell you what I told Wally: depending on Bruce's life choices will determine my existence or not."

"Alright," Tim said nodding, "Since you're from the future, have we met?"

Terry grinned, "Yes actually, although you're much older than I am—will be."

Tim grimaced, "I get old? That sucks." Clark chuckled and J'onn let a small smile grace his face at the complaint.

Barbra rolled her eyes. "You said we meet?"

Terry nodded, "Hell yeah, but you aren't in—I shouldn't be telling you this, Bruce's whole rule about knowing to much about the future, plus the future I am from is only one possible future, I may not ever exist depending on how events play out."

"Killjoy," Tim muttered.

Terry let out a hearty laugh, "Man, you have no idea how cool it is to talk to you guys when you're young, I mean sure I know all that Bruce knows about you, but it's not the same as having an actually conversation, I only wish I would be able to remember this if my existence ever comes 'round."

"I don't know how you end up the Tomorrow Knight, but I can't wait to see you in action." The evil-bat growled, with a deep rumbling that was similar to a laugh.

Terry's grin grew, "You're just like the old man."

Evil's red eyes narrowed, "Thin ice," he snarled.

Before Terry could spit out his witty response Barbra punched his leg, effectively giving the young man a dead leg and shutting him up; she had to admit, there were many advantages to being in a wheelchair.

* * *

"Diana? … Diana?" Cassandra spun in a slow circle in the black abyss hoping to spot the Amazon warrior.

"Ooooo, I love that idea! Hehehe, ha, hahahahaha!"

The dark, familiar cackle echoed around Cass, she peered into the darkness, but quickly shut her eyes as they were flooded with a bright, white light. Cass blinked away the spots and when she moved to rubbed her eyes she found she could not; the training with her father had her instantly still and assessing the situation. She immediately inferred that her hands and feet were shackled, the shackles made of two inch titanium, fitting over her wrists tightly; small bands of titanium secured each of her fingers down, at the middle and at the tips. Leather belts strapped her forearms, thighs, and shins to the slab of titanium she was imprisoned against.

Having assessed that she would not be able to escape, at all, Cass took in her surroundings. Next to her in the same position was Tim and next to him was Barbra, looking to her left, Cass saw Dick glaring at the room's other occupants. Looking past the wall she and the others were trapped against Cass felt a number of emotions wash over her.

Sitting and standing in the room were some of Gotham's worst psychotic criminals. Leaning against the wall with his collar popped high was Hush; Clayface was next to him, his huge form hunched over. A table was pushed towards the far wall and sitting with his feet propped up on the table was the Joker with Harley Quinn standing behind him massaging his shoulders. With the Joker's feet propped near his bird shaped cane, was Penguin, hands folded in his lap with two vultures perched on the back of his chair. At the head of the table sat Ventriloquist with Scarface in his own chair that sat on the tabletop. Hugo Strange sat opposite Scarface at the other end of the table. In front of the table, facing Cass and the others, straddling a folding chair was Black Mask. Sitting in an alcove that could have been a window was the skinny frame of Scarecrow and below him, to the left, Killer Croc sat leaning against the wall. Lastly, lying stretched out on a ripped purple couch was Deadshot, his head propped on the armrest nearest the wall Cass was trapped against.

A light in the middle of the room flickered on a few times before going back out. "Someone fix the fucking light," Scarface snapped. A gunshot rang through the room followed by a ping of a bullet deflecting off of metal. The light flickered once more, swinging from the impact of the bullet, before it stayed on, no longer blinking sporadically.

"No need to thank me you stupid doll," Deadshot drawled.

"Don't fuck with me boy," Scarface barked.

The conversion was lost on Cassandra who was focused on what the lone light reveled. Kneeing on the stone floor, wearing a dirty wife-beater and ripped black sweats was Bruce. His head was hung and his hair matted down; blood, both fresh and dried covered her mentor's body and clothes. The once pink flesh was not only dyed by blood, but colored purple, blue, yellow, and green by growing and unfading bruises.

The remaining un-colorful flesh on her mentor was being rubbed raw by the thick, barge anchor chains that were wrapped around her mentor's body multiply times, secured to the floor by large stakes driven deep into the stone.

"Bruce." It came out as a half growl, half bark, but Cass didn't care at the moment.

The entire room went silent, all eyes of the villains' turned on Cassandra. Cass ignored their stares that rose the hair on the back of her neck and focused on her mentor, she leaned forward in her restraints, but only moved inches, to try and get closer to her mentor. Cass could feel everyones' eyes on her, including her siblings', but the one pair of eyes she wished to meet didn't lift from the floor.

"Bruce!" She called again in that same half bark; but this time a hint, the tiniest hint, of desperation floated within her voice.

The head of onyx hair slowly rose. The villains held their breath unknowingly and waited for the vigilante and young woman to play out the scene the woman had initiated. When his head was up and his face bathed in the dim light, only then did Bruce meet Cassandra's eyes with his own, causing an emotion completely alien to Cass flood her, sending chills down her spin.

The face that generally held the hard, calculating mask of Batman, or the smirk of the infamous playboy Bruce Wayne was now nothing similar to either of the personas. It was a face completely foreign and new to the Bruce Thomas Wayne Cass was used to. The jawline that was once strong and straight, was now slack at a crooked angle with large bruises decorating it. His nose, previously broken in many fights but never having evidence of a brake, was smashed into his face, and beneath the swelling and blood, Cass could tell it was terribly broken. Eyes, now outlined in purple and black, were a dark, bleak grey without a hint of life, the eyes were empty, completely and absolutely void; it was this and Bruce's body language that sent the unfamiliar emotion through Cass. She understood that emotion now, and wanted to cry out. It was fear, pure, paralyzing fear, and for the first time in her life, Cass was terrified, she was trembling with dread of what the next moment would bring, because her mentor, the strongest man she'd ever known, was now a slumped, hollow, defeated man.

Cass shook her head, this couldn't be happening.

"Aw look! Brucie-Boy, you've let her down, you let the pretty little girl down," the Joker pouted.

"I though I was your pretty little girl?" Harley asked.

The Joker jerked his head to face Harley and slapped her across the face, his voice darkened, "Shut up you fucking useless woman." The Joker, ignoring Harley's whimpers, turned back to Cass. "Now that the girl is awake we can get this show on the road. Who's going to start? Me? Aw, gee, thanks guys," the Joker grinned, standing up and straightening his purple and green pinstriped jacket.

"You know the rule you stupid clown, we draw for it." Scarface snapped.

"Stupid clown, thats a good one, but I have one too, Go fuck Ken. … Haha...ha...hahahahaha, get it? Ken? Barbie's boyfriend, cause he's a doll? AH Hahahahahahahaha!" The Joker cackled wildly collapsing into his chair holding his sides.

Deadshot chuckled from the couch, "Hahaha, good one J-Man."

The Joker stopped laughing and sat up, "J-Man. J-Man! Oooo, I like that! Where did you come up with it?"

"Top'o my head," Deadshot shrugged. Cass could tell he had rolled his eyes beneath his mask.

Harley Quinn leaned down over the Joker, "It was a good one Mista' Jay." The Joker shoved Harley away, and she fell into the wall behind her.

"Shut it; let's see who gets to go first," Black Mask said shaking the upside down top hat. Reaching a hand into the hat he pulled out a slip of paper and unfolded it, "Hush, you get to start us out."

Hush pushed off the wall and strode forward, standing next to Bruce he pulled out a gun and placed it against Bruce's temple. "Want me to do it? … I won't though, I want you to suffer for what you did to my mother: you killed her, and now I get my payback, who should I hurt first?" Hush put the gun away and punched Bruce before stepping forward towards Cass and the others. After looking each of them over Hush approached Barbra, stopping in front of her.

"Seven minutes, or until you make her scream," Penguin reminded Hush.

Hush nodded and held his gun by the barrel. "I'm gonna make this hurt." Hush brought the handle of the gun down on Barbra's shoulder. Barbra bit her lip and squeezed her eyes closed. Hush hit her again, Barbra didn't make a noise.

"Hey!" Black Mask kicked Bruce in the back, "You have to watch this, we're doing it for you." Bruce lifted his head and watched Hush continue to beat Barbra.

The six minutes passed agonizingly slow for Cass as she watch the girl who'd helped raise her get beaten, large bruises forming rapidly.

"Time!" The call came from the corner of the room shrouded in darkness. Cass focused on the man and made out his figure, it was the Riddler.

"Nice try! Good effort," called the Joker applauding loudly; Hush went back to his spot on the wall. "Maybe next time."

"I enjoy taking it slow," Hush replied, "makes it hurt all the more."

Black Mask passed the top hat to Strange who drew the next name. "Clayface."

The mass of mud stepped forward and stood before Tim. "Hel-lo Birdie," Clayface greeted in his gravely voice.

Tim looked at Clayface with murderous intent "What's up Shit-fest? Cass held back the smirk that was dying to be released.

Clayface slammed his muddy mass of a hand against Tim's throat, "I'mma break you."

Tim scoffed, "I'd like to see you try." Cass glanced down at her mentor, a flash of pride flitting through his eyes, his expression and body language however, still screaming in agony and hopelessness.

Clayface's huge yellow teeth became visible as his mud-formed lips curled back in a smile. "I'd love to hear you sing your little birdie song." Clayface lifted two of his fingers from Tim's neck. The appendages grew longer and thinned out and began to sway in front of Tim's face like snakes.

"Five and a half minutes."

Clayface rammed the two mud-made-probes into Tim's ears, Cass watched in horror as Clayface began his torture of her younger brother. The mud probes extended from Tim's ears to his nose, each began to sprout other probes, two of which began to attack Tim's eyes. Five probes slithered their way into his mouth and from the way Tim threw his head back and began making retching-coughing noises, Cass could tell they were making their way down his throat and into his lungs and intestines.

"Cut it out!" Dick yelled.

"Shut up boy," Black Mask barked.

"Your time'll come!" snapped Harley surprising everyone, but Clayface who was focused on Tim.

Cass turned her attention back to Tim and clamped her jaw shut; three minutes and fifty two seconds remaining. Clayface, getting frustrated with the quiet Teen Titan, shoved his probes in deeper, mud began to seep from Tim's scalp, nose, mouth, and tear-ducts. Tim's abdomen was moving in an uncharacteristic way, and very rapidly at that, as if something was trying to get out.

"Kill him not, for after you is this lot, and we sure do want a spot," the Riddler chided with his rhyme.

"He's got sixteen seconds left."

Clayface growled and pumped mud to his probes causing them to thicken, slowly he pulled them from Tim's body. Tim's abdomen stopped moving and the mud probes retracted from his mouth, the probes at his eyes ceased trying to pry them open and retreated too. Clayface's two original probes returned to their finger forms and rested around Tim's neck.

"What was that...you were...saying about a birdie song?" Tim wheezed.

Clayface's hand tightened, "Don't worry, we have all the time in the world." He released Tim and while walking back to the wall he had been sitting against he smacked Bruce.

The top hat, which now rested on the floor next to Deadshot, was jostled as Deadshot haphazardly shoved his hand into it, pulling out a slip of paper, he read it, "Yo, reptile man, you're up."

The snap of a jaw echoed around the room and was followed by the sound of scales scrapping against stone. Killer Croc pushed his great form off the floor and into a standing position. Croc snapped his jaw again, looking very much like a crocodile when he did, walking past the other villains, his long claws scratched the floor as he went. "I want _you_." Cass stilled herself as the monster of a man stopped in front of her, she calmed her heart and took deep breaths.

"Crocodiles have sixty t' seventy teeth. Ya' know how many I have?" Cass did, but she didn't say anything. "Fifty four, all sharp, but unlike a croc mine don't fall out. Did ya' know we crocs have a bite mor'thn five thousand pounds per square inch?" Croc asked letting his reptilian tongue slip between his teeth. Cass didn't answer. "I'm gonna let you find out first hand how that feels."

Croc's tail swept back and forth while he stared at Cass with his yellow orange eyes. Before anyone could move or register what was happening, Croc's crocodile quickness had his teeth in Cass' arm. Cass took regular breathes and didn't make a sound, she slowed her heart and allowed the teeth to dig deeper into her flesh. Croc released and when he moved to face her she was able to see her own blood drip down his yellow pointed teeth. His tongue licked his teeth, cleaning most of the blood off expect for the areas between tooth and gum. Ignoring the tickling sensation of her blood trailing down her arm, Cass looked past Croc and rested her eyes on her mentor, the man who became her only father. Cass' blue eyes met his and she was able to read his hatred, the hatred he had for himself for causing all of this.

Cass felt the sharp teeth break the skin of her thigh, but made no indication that she had felt it. David had taught her pain was weakness and would be the thing that killed her; she had been trained not to feel it, though when she had felt it and showed it, more had been inflicted. Croc continued to bite Cass wherever he could get a good grip with his teeth, and every time he released the flesh he'd lick his teeth clean of her blood before continuing. Cass could hear a few of the other villains speaking quietly to each other and could feel her brothers' and sister's gazes on her, she could feel their support as if they were helping her stand.

"Time."

"Lots'O holes in you," the Joker cackled "You're a _holy_ girl! Get it? Hahahahaha."

When Croc was sitting against the wall once again Deadshot passed him the hat and he pulled Penguin's name.

Without moving his robust form from his chair Penguin turned to his two vultures and spoke quietly to them, seconds later they flew to Dick and rested on each of his arms. The birds began to peck at Dick's face and neck, Penguin stood up and strode around the table and stood next to Bruce watching his "magnificent" birds at work.

"Lovely, aren't they?" Penguin spoke aloud, but his words were directed at Bruce. "You've caused us all so much grief, we thought we'd return the favor with the help of your little soldiers. We're going to make you pay, for everything. You should be ashamed of yourself though, after all, you led us to your brave protégés." Penguin continued to talk to Bruce calmly, speaking of how he and the other's would repay him for everything he'd done.

Before Penguin's time was up though Dick was able to bite one of the vulture's neck, the bird squawked loudly before retreating to it's master's chair. Penguin yelled at Dick and tended to his injured pet, he encouraged the other vulture to finish pulling flesh off of Dick.

Shortly after the bird's retreat Penguin's turn ended and Deadshot was drawn. Deadshot scooted up the couch so that his head hung upside down over the armrest facing Cass and the others. Pulling a pistol from his belt Deadshot fired three times. One bullet embedded itself into Tim's shoulder, near his heart, but not close enough to kill him or cause him to bleed out. Cass received the other two bullets, one entered her leg above the knee and the other hit her Humerus breaking it.

"I'm done." Deadshot said sinking back into his original position on the couch.

"That's it?" the Joker asked incredulously.

"Yep. We've got all the time in the world, why not make the suffering last for as long as possible." Deadshot shrugged lazily.

Cass heard a grunt and turned to look at her younger brother, though he didn't show it, Cass could tell Tim was holding back a barrage of nasty words. "Two for flinching," Cass said. The entire room looked at her in silence.

"Wa'd she say?" the Riddle asked.

"Two for flinching," repeated Strange.

Ignoring the villains in the room Tim met Cassandra's eyes and nodded, taking a deep breath he regained full control of himself and Cass sighed inwardly.

To everyone's surprise Harley's name was pulled from the hat and an argument ensued about her being able to participate. Harley, while the other villains argued, had stood, making her way to the imprisoned protégés, and began to beat the shit out of Dick. Upon hearing the grunts of Blüdhaven's vigilante the villains began to quiet down and watch in awe as the small, thin Harley Quinn railed on Dick.

Tim and Barbra did little to hide their surprise. Cass, though, watched Harley's body, it was practically screaming. Harley was letting out all her pent up energy and anger on Nightwing and there was a lot of it. Harley wanted them, the villains, to notice her as more than just a lovesick sidekick, she wanted to be seen as an equal, and Cass had to admit she was doing a fine job of that, even if she was beating up Dick in the process. Harley stopped for a moment and caught her breath, Scarface opened his mouth to speak, but Harley slipped on a pair of brass knuckles and resumed her abuse of Dick before Scarface could utter a word from his wooden mouth. As the beating continued Cass read something else in the poor girl's language: helplessness, and it hit Cass quite suddenly. Harley Quinn didn't want this, she didn't want to beat the shit out of Dick, of any of them, but the she was becoming as crazy as the Joker and there was nothing she could do about it. As if to prove Cass' discovery Harley began to cackle wildly, a sound identical to the Joker's, if only at a higher pitch.

"That's time," laughed the Riddler watching Harley.

Harley's body and actions told Cass she didn't hear the Riddler; Harley repeated her movements: punch, punch, punch, kick, punch, punch, knee. Repeat.

"Quinn!" Black Mask said forcibly. Still nothing registered with Harley.

"Joker, get your bitch." commanded Scarface.

The Joker scooted his chair back up against the wall, "No way."

"Stop her! Time's up," growled Scarface.

The Joker cackled, "Hehehe, you want her to stop, you can stop her. Hehe. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Hehehe..he..haha...hahahahahahaha. Go Harley!"

"Croc, get the clown's accomplice," Black Mask snapped.

"Thick hide's useful ain't it?" Croc muttered. Croc wrapped a scaly arm around Harley and hauled her backwards, Harley turned her barrage of blows against Croc, "Stop it girl, before I eat you," growled Croc menacingly. The snap of Croc's jaw broke Harley from her trance and she feel limp in Croc's arm, completely exhausted. Croc gave her to the Joker, who hugged Harley happily, cooing sweet nothings into her ear; a smile spread over Harley's face.

"Scarecrow you're up," Strange grinned.

"No thank you, I believe I'll wait, put my name back please," Scarecrow said from his perch.

Strange shrugged and pulled another name, "Scarface."

Without a word Ventriloquist and Scarface rose and made their way to Barbra. "I know what I'm going to do. You're paralyzed, what I want to know is if you can feel below the waist or is it like nothing is there, or is it all just dead weight to you?" Scarface questioned.

Barbra didn't say a word.

**[*RATING: M (rape scene)*]**

"I''m going to find out. I know you've saved many pretty young things from rape before the Joker got to you, but do you ever really know what they went through? I heard you gave them a card of a rape therapist, but you never really knew what they went through. I'm going to help you with that." Cass watched in horror as Ventriloquist ripped the pants and underwear that Barbra was dressed in, exposing her to everyone present. Barbra didn't move. Ventriloquist released himself from the confines of his pants and trust deep into Barbra. Barbra flung her head to the side and Cass met her eyes.

"NO! STOP!" Dick screamed. Ventriloquist ignored Dick and pumped in and out of Barbra. Cass wanted to look away, to close her eyes, but she couldn't, she conveyed all her support for Barbra through her eyes.

"Stop, please." the voice was quiet, horse, like it hadn't been used in years. The Ventriloquist and the other villains turned to Bruce, where the plea came from.

"You want me to stop?" Scarface asked.

Bruce nodded. "Please, leave them, it's me you want." Bruce was begging, begging for the villains' mercy.

Scarface laughed, "NO!"

Ventriloquist rammed into Barbra as hard as he could, Barbra let out a whimper and tears began to fall from her eyes down her cheeks. "Scream for me," Ventriloquist demanded pounding her. Barbra bit her lip to keep quiet, she shut her eyes tightly to try and escape the reality. Cass felt something wet fall down her own face and realized she was crying too, she was crying for her sister, the woman who had helped her become the person she was today. Cass continued to stare at Barbra, trying to feed her support through her eyes but Barbra's eyes were still squeezed tightly shut.

Ventriloquist placed one of Barbra's legs around his waist for better access and continued his assault, but this last act was the braking point. Barbra let out a bloodcurdling scream. Cass shut her eyes at the sound and wished for it all to go away, she wished it all to be a dream.

**[*Original Rating*]**

The screaming began to mix with hysterical sobs. Cass opened her eyes willing herself to be sitting on Barbra's bed as her older sister awoke from a nightmare. No longer looking at her eyelids Cass could see Barbra crying like no other girl she'd ever seen. Ventriloquist wore a mad smile and the villains in the room were shouting over each other encouraging Ventriloquist. Cass turned away from her sister and laid her eyes upon her father. Still shackled to the floor by those thick chains was Bruce, only instead of being the lifeless husk he had been moments ago he was now pushing against the chains trying to escape their confinement. Bruce yelled and screamed, but couldn't be heard over the other occupants, the chains rubbed him raw causing him to bleed, but he ignored it. Cass watched her mentor struggle in futile efforts, his eyes reflecting helplessness and rage as he pulled against the chains to try and help his adoptive daughter. Cass could feel tears falling again, only she was crying for her helpless mentor. Bruce screamed in pain, not because of his physical pain or anger, but because he could do nothing to aid his daughter.

Cass looked past him and wished this whole seen away, she wished it to be a dream. Looking at the far wall Cass watched as the wall faded into black darkness. Blinking her tears away Cass strained to see the darkness, she saw thick mist far off in the darkness, but as soon as it focus it disappeared. Cass shook her head and concentrated once more on the wall, nothing happened. Trying to pushed the yelling out of her mind Cass continued to stare at the wall, but to no avail, she couldn't concentrate with her sister's screams and sobs ripping at her ears. Again Cass wished this situation a dream that she would wake up from, and as the wish flitted through her mind the wall faded into the dark area again.

Cass focused on the darkness and saw the mist swirling on the ground once more; and she remembered, before she was here, she had been someplace dark, someplace very dark, and she had been trying to help someone. The dark place was an abyss, it was—it was Bruce's mind, she had been trying to save her father! Realizing all of this, Cass focused on the brick wall once again. This wasn't real, it couldn't be real, she was in her father's mind, not some base of criminals in Gotham; the darkness appeared again, only instead of disappearing it slowly began to grow.

Cass looked around for a moment at the situation she was in, the villains cheering on Ventriloquist, her abused siblings, her poor sister, and her helpless father. Looking at her father's helplessness Cass realized what this whole thing was; it was a dream. His dream. No, not dream. Nightmare. It was her father's nightmare. Darkness engulfed Cass and she closed her eyes and reopened them adjusting to the darkness. Cass found herself free of all her bonds and looked down at herself.

The staggered gashes where Croc had bitten her were still very present along with a pain she was doing very well to not feel. She watched the wounds slowly suck her blood back into her body, the blood stains on her clothing around the multitudes of gouges beginning to disappear as well. Cass looked down at her knee and saw no bullet hole. When all her blood was back in her veins, her clothes returned to normal and she found no wounds anywhere on her body.

A nightmare, it was all a nightmare, a nightmare that Bruce had kept from them all. Cass was overwhelmed with sadness for her mentor and father, if he was having nightmares like this along with the one he'd been having since he was eight, it was a wonder the man was still walking straight. Cass closed her eyes and saw the nightmare flash before her, she opened her eyes, but Barbra's bloodcurdling screams still echoed in her head. Cass shook her head and reminded herself it wasn't real, but the screaming continued to echo within her.

Cass scrunched her face at the noise that would not stop, the unbearable, terrifying screams. Looking into the abyss Cass looked for something to focus on, and did, in the distance she could see the eerie glow of a white tree. Cass began walking forward, but the screaming still continued.

The tree looked like a dead oak that had been bleached white by the sun, but figuring the sun never shown here, Cass couldn't believe it was the sun that had turned the tree. Upon reaching the tree Cass noticed a jean clad leg laying out beneath it, she stopped moving and listened; over the screaming in her head she heard heavy ragged breathing, but could not identify it due to the echoing screams.

Cautiously and silently Cass peered around the tree and found Diana leaning against it, her eyes closed with a bloody hand clutching her abdomen. Moving in front of Diana Cass touched her shoulder lightly still on her guard, one never knew what Bruce's mind would conjure up. The hand lying at Diana's side moved with lightning fast reflexes and gripped Cass' arm with bone crushing force. Diana's eye fluttered open and she met Cass'.

"Cass?" she asked, her voice retaining a slight tremor.

Cass nodded and tugged at her arm, but Diana didn't let go, the look on Diana's face told Cassandra that she had no idea that she held Cass' arm. Cass let the heroin hold her arm, but with her other she slowly pulled Diana's bloody hand from her abdomen.

"What happened," Cass question assessing the damage inflicted upon Diana's abdomen.

Diana struggled to remember, "We…we were out…mugged…fired…Andr—ANDREA!" Diana coughed blood onto her shirt when she'd screamed the name.

Cass reached out and wiped Diana's mouth, "Who were you out with?" she questioned.

Diana took a few short breathes and hissed in pain, "Bruce...and Andrea," when Diana repeated 'Andrea' tears began to fall and she tried to hold her resolve.

"Who is Andrea?" Cass asked, knowing she had to get all the information even though it was causing Diana such pain to speak, and by the look in her eyes, even to think about it.

"Bruce's...our little girl..." Diana paused, she pulled Cass forward by the arm she still unknowingly gripped and looked her in the eye, "She was a little goddess...and—and too young to die."

Cass digested the small amount of information she received and began to pick it part. "Where did you get mugged?"

"Gotham."

"How did you get there?"

Diana tried to take a deep breathe, but only coughed up more blood. "We were in the manor and—and the Joker shot Martha and Alfred, he said Bruce had... just a few days before Thomas would die. I wanted to help... then we ended up on the streets of Gotham and Andrea chased after a cat..."

Barbra's screams echoed in Cass' head and she realized what had happened. Gripping Diana's shoulders tightly Cass looked directly at her, "It was a dream. Diana, it wasn't real."

Diana's brow furrowed in confusion, before anger over took it, "No. Andrea died! I held her when—when Hades claimed her! And I've been shot!"

Cass gave Diana a slight shake, "It was a nightmare. It was Bruce's nightmare. None of it was real Diana, you didn't get shot, we're in Bruce's mind, you couldn't have gotten shot, your body is safe on the Watchtower."

Diana gazed at Cass silently, her eyes slowly softened and the pained look in her eyes retreated. Cass glanced down at Diana's abdomen and saw that the blood was receding and reentering Diana's veins. Cass watched as the bullet holes healed, she met Diana's eyes once more and helped her stand.

Diana didn't release Cass' arm, instead she grabbed the other one. "It was so real." Diana said quietly. "Andrea was so real," tears began to fall down her cheeks, "I watched her die," the pain Cass had seen earlier returned to Diana's eyes. "It was the most horrible thing I've ever experienced, I was so helpless, I couldn't do anything."

Cass simply nodded, like Bruce, she wasn't good with emotions, reading them was one thing, but having to deal with them was something else completely. Cass continued to listen as Diana spoke.

"She told me she loved me, and again before she died..." Diana trailed off and wiped her eyes, "I can still hear her, her strong, innocent voice."

Cass nodded, "I know." Diana raised an eyebrow in question and Cass told her of the nightmare she had witnessed, though she gave the Amazon the abridged version.

* * *

Zatanna collided with someone and began to fall, but was caught by a strong arm. Looking at her savior Zatanna met Dick's eyes.

"Ground's not that soft around here." Zatanna turned towards the voice and saw Jason picking himself off the ground.

Zatanna straightened and glanced around, Shayera was helping John up. Next to her Inza and Kent were speaking quietly to each other, and standing next to Dick was Donna. "How did you guys get here?"

"We had been revisiting past arguments and then we landed here," Donna explained.

Zatanna nodded. "We were at Bruce's school."

Dick raised an eyebrow, "Learn anything interesting." Remembering all that she had seen, Zatanna nodded once more.

"Bruce had a rough childhood." A small grin crept onto Jason's face, "We watched him punch the living daylights out of Oliver Queen."

"Oh?" Donna asked curiously.

John stepped in, "Yeah, never seen a fourteen year old take out and eighteen year old. Clean hit, right to the nose, knocked him out."

"Did he deserve it?" Inza asked.

"Oh yeah," Zatanna growled, malice laced within her voice, "Next time _I _see him _I'm_ going to punch him."

"You shouldn't resort to violence." The melodious voice floated between and around the heroes. They all tensed, ready to fight.

"I agree, it's far too bloody, unnecessary injuries always occur." This voice was a deep baritone, very akin to Bruce's.

"Who's there?" Jason asked the darkness.

"We are not enemies, I promise," the woman's voice reassured.

Kent focused his energy on finding the source of the voices. "I sense nothing."

"We are merely a thought, a memory, you will not be able to sense us," the woman spoke again.

Donna raised a finger and they all followed it. A white wisp of cloud danced in the darkness for a moment before evaporating.

"We've been trying to find you," the deep voice told them echoing in the abyss.

Inza was the next to find the white wisp, only this time it formed a very faint shape, to faint to make out before it vanished.

"We know why you're here," the woman spoke again.

Shayera saw the next misty cloud, though this time the outline of two figures were made out before the darkness swallowed them up.

"Let us see you," Kent requested quietly.

There was silence for along while, minutes ticked by, but then Donna felt a presence behind her, whipping around she surprised the other heroes who followed her movements.

White wisps of mist were churning around one another and seemingly fighting each other to form two figures. As the figures became more shaped they could be see as a man and woman, the mist continued to create the figures and soon the last details floated into place and a fully formed couple stood before the heroes.

The man and woman were more than a striking pair. The man stood six foot in a classic black and white tux. He was beyond handsome, with a strong jaw and a beautiful smile. His ebony hair was slicked back, his bright blue eyes sparkling with mirth and compassion. One of his hands rested over the woman's hand that was tucked into the crook of his arm. The woman, who was petite, wore a dark red dress with a square neck line, a black coat trimmed in fur, and a pearl necklace. Her heart shaped face was framed by blonde curls and her eyes were a deep, deep captivating blue. She was a gorgeous woman with a gentle, caring demeanor. Together the man and woman were elegant. They looked high class, but their soft smiles and welcoming auroras told the heroes they weren't the people who sneered at those of a lower class.

"We've been trying to show ourselves, but it is becoming more and more difficult, we are sorry if we scared you." The voice that was only melodious before, now sounded simply angelic, it was a voice that one would never tire of hearing; it was the voice of heart warming love and compassion.

The man lead his wife forward to the heroes and both moved with such grace and elegance that they looked like to be gliding over the ground. "We would like to help you." The baritone voice, like the woman's was loving, but now that it was heard directly, it was a voice of strength, one that would comfort if frightened or wished for reassurance.

Dick swallowed the lump in his throat. "M-Martha? Th-Thomas?"

The couple nodded and smiled; Martha stepped forward, she reached for Dick's face and though she was made of mist Dick felt warmth and love wash over his body. "You need to forgive each other, I want both of you happy; you are, after all, our grandson." Martha wrapped her arms around Dick, and he began to cry silently. Martha stepped back and tried to whip his tears away, but couldn't because of her insubstantial form. "Why are you crying?" worry laced itself within Martha's words.

The other heroes stepped back to give the three a moment to themselves.

Thomas stepped forward and took his wife's hand, "I believe he is crying for his own parents … and our son."

Martha searched Dick's eyes, "Why do you cry for him?"

Dick found his voice and spoke shakily, "He lost such wonderful parents, he had to watch you die when he was only eight."

Martha smiled sadly, "But he lived through it. We died for him, and would do it again in a heartbeat."

Thomas placed a hand on Dick's shoulder and though it wasn't physically there Dick could fell it the same way he'd felt Martha's hand on his face. "You have been through the same thing, you should not fret so much."

"I didn't watch my parents fall to their death, I only saw the aftermath of the fall. I know Bruce watched you die, he watched the life leave you. I know. He'd have nightmares every night, he still does, from what Tim tells me."

Martha nodded solemnly, "I know. We have caused him so much grief and pain."

Dick shook his head, "No you haven't, it wasn't you. Bruce loves you, he knows you'd never cause him any pain."

"But we have," Thomas said.

"No, trust me on this, like you said, I have experienced the same thing," Dick argued.

Thomas nodded, "Very well. I suggest we get moving before Martha and I are no longer visible."

The other heroes rejoined Dick and followed Martha and Thomas further into the abyss. Donna stopped next to her boyfriend and noticed his tears had once again continued. Donna didn't say anything, but enveloped Dick in a hug, he fell into her and wrapped his arms around her in response. They stayed like that for a few moments before Dick spoke, "They remind me so much of mom and dad." Donna leaned back and whipped his tears where Martha could not. Donna gave him one more hug before taking his hand and leading him in the direction of the others.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcomed; no flames though. **Check out my one-shot.**

**-Jopo :)**


	12. Extraordinary in the Most Terrible Way

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening:** Four groups become two and Cass took part in a horrific event. (You could just read the pervious chapters).

**Note: **This has been updated and edited as of 10/27/11.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 12:**** It was Extraordinary in the Most Terrible Way**

"We are in the middle of nowhere, and we're never gonna leave!" Wally cried dramatically.

Tim grinned at Wally, "What are you talking about? We're right here."

"Yeah," Terry said throwing an arm over Wally's shoulder, "We're not in the middle, we're to the left a bit."

Tim laughed and high-fived Terry, while Wally place a hand on his forehead and sighed in a very dramatic way, "Oh my heroes! You've found us on the map, however can I repay you," Wally asked in a high voice, batting his eyes at the boys.

"You may buy me dinner!" Terry declared.

"And me dessert!" Tim added brandishing an invisible sword.

Wally's stomach growled loudly and he clutched it, "Ah food! My poor stomach has been empty for far too long, I'm afraid I can't go on. You must save yourselves lads, leave me!"

Terry stood tall, "A brave deed! But we shall never leave one of our own behind!"

"You are too valuable Court Jester, we could not leave you, for who will tell jokes that make the king laugh till he hurts? Who will entertain the guests?" Tim proclaimed just as dramatically as Terry.

A child's laughter echoed in the dark followed by applause, "You guys are too funny!" Young Bruce giggled, just ahead of the group.

"It's a wonder people laugh with you, I find it much more likely they laugh _at _you," Bruce's Evil growled, his eyes narrowing to slits.

Terry and Tim's smiles didn't falter, they took his words in stride brushing them off as a poor compliment. Wally, having not nearly as much experience with Bruce's darker side quickly averted his eyes and mumbled to himself.

"Hey, have you head the joke about the new blond flight attendant?" Terry asked Tim.

Tim shook his head, "No. How does—"

"Something is approaching!" Evil growled pulling his cape around himself and lowering his position.

The rest of the group tensed along with him and waited with baited breath for the mist to reveal the 'something.' A melodic laughter grew in volume and echoed around them. The sound fill the heroes and Bruce's Good conscience with warmth. Terry, the Evil, and Good all relaxed while the others remained on their guard not knowing what had emitted the sound.

A collective gasp arose when the mist cleared and Donna and Martha Wayne stepped into view.

"Wally?" Donna coughed when her laughter stopped abruptly.

Wally ran forward and hugged Donna. Behind her the mist cleared and the rest of the group was revealed. "It's _sooo_ good to see you."

"You too, Wally," Dick said with a grin.

Tim slapped Dick on the back, "Glad you're alive bro."

"Right back at'ya," Dick replied.

Greetings were exchanged and then a hush fell over the group. The pregnant silence was killed by Inza. "Were you guys able to find anything," she asked broaching the topic they were all avoiding.

J'onn shook his head, "We've only been through memories, very few of which offered any help."

Zatanna nodded, "The same with us, though we were often uprooted from whatever memory we were in."

Wally stepped forward, "I learned how his parents died, and that he's got a profile made of everyone."

"Don't forget about 'formula land'," Terry said in a sing-song voice.

"Oh, right, and he's got billions of formulas memorized."

J'onn's eye glowed a bit brighter at this comment, "What sort of formulas were they?"

Wally wrinkled his forehead, "Math mainly; really, really advance math, like particle physics, advanced stuff, though there were your standard algebra formulas."

"Nothing that might be medical related," J'onn questioned.

Wally didn't reply, so Terry stepped in, "Nothing heavily related to medical, though I see where you're going with this. There is most definitely an area of his mind for that sort of thing, but where is it?"

"Who the hell are you?" Dick asked glaring at Terry.

Wally stepped in before Terry had a chance to open his mouth, "He saved me so don'tget madathim, hisnameisTerry, DependingonBruce's lifesdecision willdeterminehisexistence ornot." Wally said hurriedly.

Dick raised an eyebrow but accepted his friend's explanation.

"Martha, Thomas you're beginning to fade." Evil's low gravely voice surprised the others a great deal, they had not seen the huge bat like creature shrouded in the shadows of the abyss.

His words registered with them all and they turned to Bruce's parents who's form became wispy as if someone had run a hand through their insubstantial forms, they no longer looked like the solid figures they had appeared to be.

Martha and Thomas looked down at themselves and gave half hearted smiles, "It's alright, we're fine," Martha said, her lovely voice settling around them all like a blanket. The group stared at them and watched as the wisps slowly disappeared and Martha and Thomas once again appeared to be as real as life.

Jason turned from his friend's parents to J'onn and Terry, "What was that you were saying about medical formulas?"

"No. We don't have time for that," It was young Bruce who'd spoke up. "Even with all of us looking, we'd never find it. This place is a maze," his lip began to tremble and his voice became hoarse, "You've all been saying that you're being kicked out of memories. Memories just don't kick you out, something is interfering and it's the toxin. It's causing damage which is disrupting and eating Bruce's memories. We have to find it and stop it before it gets to Bruce."

"Eating his memories?" John asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes. That's why mom and dad are slowly vanishing, if this toxin continues on it's path every-," Good was now crying as he spoke, "-memory will be wiped from his mind and he will have nothing left, including mom and dad. This thing is eating away his memory of them! It's taking them away! _He cannot lose them again!"_ The last part was a half yell half sob; Good collapsed onto the ground and began crying into his hands.

Before anyone could react Evil swept forward covering the boy with his cape, drawing back with him still under it. "He is right."

Thomas stepped forward and bent down to one knee in front of the evil-bat and pushed the cape aside. "Good, if you don't want Bruce to lose us again, you need to come out and help these heroes." Thomas said in a comforting voice placing his hand on Good's back. "Plus, Evil cannot stand it if you are upset."

The evil-bat growled, "If he is weaker I am stronger."

Thomas stood and stared at the evil-bat, "Yes, but he cannot completely die or you would not be able to survive."

Evil narrowed his slits for eyes and rested a hand on Good's shoulder, the shadows from his gloves tumbled down the young Bruce's body. "Up, Thomas is right, these meta-humans maybe less useless than they look." His voice rumbled through the heroes and sent shivers down their spines.

"Diana?" Clark's shocked voice made everyone turn, Clark's mouth was hanging open as he stared away from the group into the abyss. Everyone followed his gaze and saw what had caught his attention.

Diana and Cassandra were stumbling out of the darkness, they clung to each other for support, neither doing more than the other. Diana and Cass looked terrible, they were covered in dirt and their clothing ripped, their hair was all over the place and both had an intense look in their eyes.

Diana's face was tear stained and fresh tears continued to fall. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying, but her irises were a haunting, blank blue, there wasn't a twinkle or sign of energy visible. Her hands and neck were rubbed raw; the space between her fingers bled terribly and deep scratches along her neck were also bleeding, but not nearly as bad as her blood covered hands. Blood trickle out of Diana's mouth, her lips were white and cracked causing more blood to trail down her chin from her mouth.

Cass was no better than Diana, it was possible she was worse. Cass' eyes were not blank like Diana's, but held a crazed, wild look, almost like a caged frightened and angry animal. Thick sections of her hair had fallen out of its—_always—_perfect french braid, it looked like she had been pulling at her hair in stress; the hair added to her wild look. Cass' hands too, were covered in blood, though her nails more so as they were caked in dried and fresh blood. Her ears were equivalent to Diana's hands, blood piratically gushed from her ears and the deep gouges around them.

Both women tripped over their feet as they approached the group, when the were only a few feet away Diana swayed and fell away from Cass. Cass reach out to catch—herself or Diana, they weren't quite sure—but instead began to fall also.

At a speed that had Wally question their non-meta status, Dick and Tim caught their sister long before she connected with the ground. Donna and Clark both rushed forward and caught Diana.

Diana moaned and continued to cry. "No. No no no no no...Andrea. ANDREA!" The scream scared Clark and Donna, both going white as they watched Diana cry.

Martha and Thomas swiftly approached Clark and Donna. They stepped forward and Martha motioned for Clark to raise Diana's head so she would face them.

"Diana?"

Diana's eyes focused on Martha, though she did not stop crying.

"Diana, dear." Martha said again. Diana's eyes dilated and she was no longer looking at Bruce's parents. Martha turned to Thomas, "She's seen his nightmare?"

Thomas nodded, "I believe so." Thomas rested his hand on Diana's cheek even though she could not feel it, Diana however snapped her attention back to Martha and Thomas as if she could feel his hand. "Diana, it wasn't real. Andrea was never hurt. Andrea is just a dream, a dream that you can make real."

Diana let out a heartbreaking sob. "She died! I saw her!" Diana practically howled.

"You can protect her!" Thomas said sternly, in a fatherly voice.

Martha nodded in agreement, "You can prevent that my dear."

Diana's howling died down, but her sobs continued. Thomas looked her in the eye, "You are strong, you are Wonder Woman, and you can and _will_ protect Andrea when she joins you in the world of the living."

This sobered Diana up and her sobbing stopped. She looked around and noticed everyone else, "I-I-I can, I-I will protect her." Diana said nodding.

"Yes, you will," Martha soothed.

"Diana?" Donna asked tentatively. Her sister turned and face her. "Oh, Diana." Donna said wiping her sister's tears away.

When Diana's eyes met Donna's she let out a choked sob and collapsed into her sister's arms, she began to cry again, but she no longer looked lost and desperate.

Dick and Tim were not as lucky as Clark and Donna with their own sister. She was not sobbing and howling, instead, upon seeing the large group, she began to flail and aim powerful knees and elbows into her brothers, who were trying desperately to calm her down.

"Cass! Cass its me!" Dick reassured. Tim, who was saying similar, had the same result as Dick: more flailing.

Shayera, Zatanna, Kent, and Jason all slowly stepped towards the siblings. "Let me go! Don't touch me! Don't! No! Not Her!" Cass began to scream hysterically when she saw the others move forward.

"Stop! Stop, you're making it worse." Dick yelled over Cass' screaming.

Cass placed a well aimed knee in Dick's groin forcing his grip to loosen, though it wasn't by much it was enough for her to slip through. She stumbled forward and placed a hand on the ground when she tripped to maintain her upright position. She pushed off the ground and continued forward into the abyss, she turned slightly so she could see the group.

Dick held out a hand out and stopped Clark from moving forward after her. "No. Stop."

Whether it was what Dick said or how he said it, the heroes didn't know, all they knew was that when he said it Cass fell to the ground and clutched her head. "Stop! Leave her alone! NO!" Cass was screaming wildly at the group. She stayed kneeling, and went into hysterics before the heroes could blink.

Cass, who was the most silent and deadliest of Bruce's protégés, the same girl who was nearly equal to Bruce in his dark and brooding mood let out the most horrifying, bloodcurdling scream that any of them had every heard. She moved her hands and began to claw at her ears, making them bleed even more. She rocked back and forth still clawing at her own ears and screaming, "STOP! NO! STOP!-ME! TAKE ME!"

The group was frozen, chills ran down their spins as Cass' lungs let out her shrill words. Diana, who's tears had slowed, watched the girl who had helped her and befriended her. J'onn was the first of the group to move, he stepped forward and stood next to Dick and Tim. His eyes glowed a bright yellow and he opened his mind so he could reach out to Cass.

J'onn collapsed and fell to the ground clutching at his head. "J'onn!" Zatanna and Shayera yelled running forward to help their martian friend.

With the help of Zatanna and Shayera, J'onn stood with one hand still at his temple. "Terrible, horrible. Blood everywhere. Pain, so much pain. And—and..."

They waited, holding their breath for J'onn to finish the sentence.

"...helplessness, I've never felt so helpless in my life. And the blood, and heartache," J'onn finished. He looked towards Cass who was still screaming and clawing at her blood covered ears.

"NO! STOP!" Cass screamed.

Zatanna looked from the Batgirl to her brothers who looked sick with worry, they stood rocking on their feet in anticipation; she turned to Barbra who had wheeled herself forward.

Cass' screams raised the hair on everyones' necks. "STOP! PLEASE! I'M SORRY!"

Clark who'd never seen anything so horrible stepped forward, "We have to do something."

"Do not touch her!" The voice made everyone jump; Evil came forward. "She has seen something, or heard something that will not rest. Whatever it is, it's playing through her mind over and over. If you try and break that loop, but fail you could easily make it worse. You must know the source of her terror before you can even begin to approach her."

Kent turned to J'onn, "Could you identify anything in her mind?"

J'onn shook his head, "I could not."

"Wait." Diana, who was still holding her sister for support looked at Evil, "She told me that she witnessed a nightmare."

"What was it of?" The evil-bat asked.

Diana shook slightly remembering what the young woman had told her. "The last bit, the last bit she saw seemed to shake her up the most. It was of Barbra."

Barbra glanced at all the eyes on her, but looked back to Diana, "What happened."

Diana shook her head, "She didn't tell me the details, only that you, Tim, Dick, and her were being tortured. She told me that you had it the worst, she didn't say what happened, only that you...broke..." Diana didn't know what Cass had meant when she told her that Barbra broke, but it seemed the rest of the Batclan did.

Dick, Tim, and Barbra all exchanged looks.

"What is it," Jason asked the siblings.

They ignored the question and Barbra wheeled herself past the others towards her sister. She wheeled slowly, so as not to startle Cass.

Cass noticed. Her head snapped in Barbra's direction, but she wasn't looking at her, her eyes were focused and her line of sight was Barbra, but she wasn't seeing Barbra. "NO!-TAKE ME!-NO! NO!"

"Cass?" Barbra asked tentatively.

Cass began to shake her head and her clawing intensified.

Barbra wheeled closer, "Cass, it's me."

Cass continued to screamed, but tears began to fall though the Batgirl took no notice.

Barbra was only feet away from her adopted sister. "Cass. Cassandra. It's me. It's Barbra." Before anyone could move, and before Barbra finished her name, Cass leapt onto Barbra's wheelchair. She planted her feet on the seat and one hand on the left armrest, while the other was at Barbra's throat, squeezing. When the heroes saw what had happened they all lunged forward, but Evil prevented them all from going any further.

"STOP!" Cass screamed at her sister. "STOP!"

"Cass...?"

"STOP IT!" Cass wiped her eyes and brought her hand away from her face, she looked down at her hand and saw the blood covering it, she began to shake violently. "_Please!_" The way she cried out made the word sounded pathetic and pleading. Cass released Barbra's neck and moved both hands back to her ears, sinking her long nails into the flesh around them; Cass whimpered.

Barbra swore she could hear the tearing of Cass' skin as her sister drew her nails through her own flesh. Barbra grabbed her sister's wrists pulling at them with all her strength, "Cass..."

Cass met Barbra's eyes and Barbra blanched. It was sickening what she saw within her sisters eyes. Fear. Terror. Blood. Sadness. Helplessness. And pain, pain that seemed to pass to Barbra as she stared into the lapis pools that were her sister's eyes. "Make it stop," Cass whispered, "make the screams stop."

Barbra wanted to cry just looking at the desperation that flooded Cass. "It's okay. Just listen to me Cass. I'm okay." Cass tried to turn away, but Barbra put her hands on either side of Cass' face and forced Cass' to look at her. "I'm okay, I'm right here, I'm alive and well." Cass' eyes absorbed Barbra and her eyes dilated momentarily. "No one is torturing me. Dick and Tim are fine. I'm _okay_ Cass."

Cass gripped Barbra's forearms with her blood covered hands, her grip was viper-like and cut off most of Barbra's circulation, but she seemed to take in Barbra's words. "The screaming...make it stop." Another pathetic, pleading whisper.

Barbra nodded holding her own tears at bay, "I will. You just have to listen. Barbra is okay. She's not hurt..., she's not hurt."

Cass tilted her head, "...you're not hurt."

Barbra shook her head, "I'm not hurt," she repeated.

"You're okay," Cass breathed. Barbra watched her sister's eyes focus sharply and train themselves on her. Cass collapsed onto Barbra. Tim and Dick ran forward and helped Cass stand, her legs were shanking horribly along with the rest of her body, but she gripped both Tim and Dick as if they would disappear, "You're okay," she whispered.

Dick and Tim nodded. "We're fine," Tim reassured.

Cass looked at Barbra and noticed her sister's blood covered hands.

"It's yours," Barbra said quickly, fearing Cass might begin to scream again.

Cass raised a hand to her ears, but did not touch them, she pulled away seeing her bloody hands, "Oh..."

"What happened?" Dick asked. Tim and Barbra both glared at Dick.

Images of the dream she had witnessed flashed before Cass' eyes and a faint scream echoed in her head. She griped Tim and Dick's shoulders tighter. "..I-I don't want to talk about it. ...later."

Dick nodded and wrapped his arm around her waist to better support her; Cass, usually one to relinquish from such an intimate touch didn't move away, instead she settled further into her brother's side. Tim, Dick, and Barbra exchanged looks, they'd never seen Cass so...touchy, so unCass.

"We need to keep moving, I'm sure something heard that ruckus and will come looking for us," Evil growled moving towards Martha and Thomas. They nodded as he approached and walked along side him slow enough so that the others would soon follow.

Clark watched the bat-siblings; they didn't say anything. He felt so lost as to what to do, he debated on trying to comfort them, but didn't know how. He saw Dick squeeze Cass' waist and Tim rub her back, Barbra gave Cass a meaningful look that she and the others nodded at. Cass sent a look at Dick and he squeezed her waist again, Tim sent a glance at Barbra before switching his gaze to Dick then Cass, Clark saw a smile play at the corner of Cass' mouth. How they communicated without a word puzzled Clark, but he wasn't surprised; suppressing the urge to talk to them he followed Martha and Thomas.

John tugged on his wife's hand to get her moving, she took a stumbling step forward, but caught herself and fell in step with him. She looked back at Bruce's children and felt a great urge to gather them all up into a hug and never let got. They looked so sad and scared, she just couldn't handle it, she turned back to John and squeezed his hand tightly. John turned when he felt his wife tighten her grip, he squeezed back, he knew how she was feeling and like her, didn't know what to do.

Jason and Zatanna were coaxed forward by Terry, they followed solemnly with J'onn behind them. Diana pulled her sister away knowing that Dick should spend a bit of time with Cass. Still feeling very weak Donna felt her sister shaking and pulled her arm over her own shoulder so that she didn't have to support all of her own weight. Clark joined them moments after they began moving and gave Diana's hand an affectionate squeeze before letting go. Diana understood the gesture and acknowledge him with a tiny, forced smile and nod.

Wally was still frozen where he stood. Wally and Cass had a history, two years after she'd began training with Bruce Wally met her, she was cold and calculating, just like Bruce, but what struck him, was that she did not speak, not a word. The first time he'd ever heard her talk was nearly a year after their first meeting, she said all of three words, and they weren't addressed to him, he had heard them while eavesdropping on her and Dick. She had said 'Don't blame him,' then the room was quiet, Wally entered to find only Dick in the room. Cass was the silent, always calm one, he'd never seen any normal amount of emotion on her face, he knew she was human, only by the flickers in her eyes that gave her away only when she was talking to her siblings.

A hand rested itself on Wally's shoulder and he nearly jumped out of his skin, he turned to see Inza standing behind him with a sad expression.

"Are you okay," She asked.

Wally shook his head, "No." Inza didn't say anymore, she simply nodded. Wally watched most of the group walking after Martha and Thomas and decide he should follow, surprisingly Inza walked with him.

Kent slowly approached the siblings, all four immediately stopped talking and looked in his direction, he could not fathom how they possible heard him, but let it lie knowing some things should be left, especially when dealing with anything Bat related, alone. Kent stopped in front of the group, none of them said anything, he had approached them so he was obviously the one who should speak first. "Cass. Your wounds, I must ask; how bad are they?"

"Nothing I can't deal with," Cass said simply.

Kent didn't want to press her, but knew he could not leave this matter alone. "Yes, well, I'm afraid that you may bleed out."

"How is that possible," Barbra questioned.

"Whatever you saw pained you enough so that you became unaware of your surroundings, because it had such an effect, I am worried that what you inflicted upon yourself here, you also inflicted upon your physical self."

Cass nodded, "I trust your judgement, but how can we possibly stop it?"

"Unless you leave, there is nothing we can do."

Cass, like Kent predicted, flat out refused to leave her mentor's mind. "I will be fine."

"Cass you can barely stand," Dick sighed.

Cass dug her nails into Dick's shoulder, her middle digit mangling his tendon, "I'll be fine in a little."

Tim snickered at Dick's pained face. Dick shot his brother a glare before snapping his mouth closed with a resounding click. Kent nodded and left to catch up with his wife. The Bat-siblings followed the large group helping their sister along.

* * *

The group continued forward for what seemed to be hours. The conversion between groups varied from Wally's latest prank to the last attack on the United Nations. The tone was light to try and keep up moral in the darkness, and to keep away the negative thoughts tugging at everyone's mind.

Martha and Thomas who had looked real as any person, were now more transparent and becoming less and less visible, though they still maintained their charm and happiness. They were walking at the front of the group with Diana, who was still shaken, but no longer unable to support herself.

"So you are Bruce's Diana." Martha remarked with a growing smile.

Diana looked towards Bruce's parents, "Um..no."

Martha raised an eyebrow, "But you are Wonder Woman?" Diana nodded. "And you are in love with my son?"

Diana's eyes widened momentarily, before she realized Martha's words were true. Diana had always known she liked Bruce and she knew a part of her had fallen for him the moment he sacrificed himself while helping J'onn when they had first met, she was surprised Martha knew. "Yes, I am."

"Then you are Bruce's, I don't mean to make you sound like a possession, simply that your heart belongs to him."

"You could say that, but Bruce is far too stubborn to let me in. He pushes me away, day after day for stupid reasons," Diana replied thinking back to a night on a rooftop in Gotham.

Thomas smiled, "That would be my wife's fault, being head-strong that is. Though, I will admit he pushes things he cares about away from him and that is because of Martha and I."

Martha continued, "We've create a fear, a fear that only increases as people get closer. It's his fear of loosing those he loves; when we died, we planted that seed of fear and it continues to grow stronger and stronger."

"Bruce tends to think of the worse before anything else, like the nightmare you witnessed. Martha and I have seen Andrea walk the abyss covered in blood. We've seen a dead Alfred lying before us. Everything he dreams turns out for the worse, everyone he knows, in his mind, gets hurt the closer they get to him." Thomas added.

"He's never at peace, even in sleep, every dream turns to a nightmare. He cannot escape himself," Martha trembled, wiping a few tears from her face. Diana watched Thomas grab his wife's hand and give it a squeeze, she could see the comfort it gave Martha and saw the loving look shared between the couple; Diana wished for that, she wished for that feeling of safety and love that only her soulmate offered. Martha turned back to Diana, "I don't want you to stop."

"Hmm?" Diana was confused at the random pronouncement.

"I don't want you to stop," Martha spoke with growing confidence, "Don't stop pushing him, he needs you and loves you; I believe you can bring him peace, that you can stop his nightmares. You are good for him."

Diana took in Martha's words and felt ready to burst, Bruce's parents, who he held in the highest esteem, did not want her to stop perusing their son. Her last words echoed in her head, Martha had not been the first person to tell her this and she was beginning to believe the truth behind the words.

"Thank you," Diana said, not knowing how to tell them what their words meant to her.

Martha moved her hand to Diana's, and though it went through her own, Diana felt something as shivers traveled up her arm, in a good way. Thomas returned Diana's smile, "Your welcome."

"We're here." Evil's gravel voice rumbled around them and chilled each of them to the core. "I can sense it."

"Something's wrong," Thomas said looking into the distance of the abyss.

The heroes glanced from one to the other. "We must hurry." Thomas said. In his slowly fading form, Bruce's father hurried forward into the darkening abyss; everyone was quick to follow.

The group continued at their fast past and as they went they noticed their surrounds began to change. The abyss before them was getting darker and the blackness thickening, but surprisingly they could still see. Around them, the once plain land became uneven and rather loose beneath their feet. The most noticeable change was the atmosphere. Where they were once breathing evenly and were able to walk through the balmy temperature with a slight humidity and still remain comfortable, they were now considerably colder and they found it difficult to breath, like something was stealing part of their breath before it settled in their lungs. Shivers ran up and down their spines and goosebumps arose on each of the heroes. A feeling of dread and growing fear hovered around the group like an ominous cloud.

When they stopped the heroes thought Evil had heard something, but were sadly mistaken. They noticed the slight cliff that they seemed to be standing on.

"We should not be here." Good said shakily drawing closer to Evil and his shroud of shadows.

The heroes lined themselves along the cliff-like edge and peered down into what appeared to be a not-so deep crater. "I can't see anything?" John claimed, the first of them to speak.

"We'll need to continue down," Thomas said, his form now appearing silvery, very similar to that of a ghost's.

The heroes followed once more. On their way down a few cruse words were exchanged as someone stepped on another's hand, or one grabbed a particularly sharp stone. Once they reached the bottom, Dick set Barbra back into her wheelchair and they continued forward once more, only this time it was after a half hour that they stopped again.

Before the group, not fifty feet away lay a still figure, there was no doubt who the figure was, they all recognized Gotham's Dark Knight.

It was Good, the young form of Bruce, so full of life that broke the silence. "We can not be here. We need to leave. It's not safe." Everyone turned to the small boy who clung to Evil's cape, his eyes wide with fear as he stared openly at Bruce's motionless form. The boy's voice trembled, and he himself shook violently. "We must leave. Now!"

"What is he talking about," Jason asked, trying to keep his own voice steady.

What was left of Martha's form was about to reply when she was cut short by a shout.

"NO." It was Bruce's consciences, they had both shouted, one a deep, gravely, rage filled bellow and the other a scream of terror. Clark had stepped forward towards his friend, a man he considered a brother, when the two fragments of Bruce's mind had voiced their loud protests. Clark was now much closer to Bruce than the others, but he made no move to go further, he looked back at Good and Evil.

Evil's head whipped so fast to the side they were surprised they hadn't heard a crack. Ignoring how fast the evil-bat had moved the others tried to find what had caught the creatures attention. Wally was about to speak, but was silenced by Evil's hand before he could utter a sound. Evil turned back to Clark after half a second, "You fool. You stupid meta ignored Good's warning." the evil-bat's voice had lowered dangerously and the roughness was replaced by an ice-cold, sharp chilling tone.

The unasked questions were answered by a small tremor in the ground, only Clark, Diana, and J'onn felt the first few, but as they grew stronger and stronger the others began to feel the same tremors rolling beneath their feet like small waves.

"It's coming." Good quivered, he wrapped himself in Evils cape and disappeared completely within its folds.

In less than a split second, before any of them could blink, a huge tremor shook the ground as if a mountain had dropped onto the ground. The speculation wasn't very far off.

A great roar, that forced the heroes to cover their ears, echoed before and around them. It was bone-chilling and loud enough to shake the ground. Following it was deep angry snarling that frightened each of them to the very core. Looking up as one, the group froze in fear.

It was huge, whatever _it _was. It stood elven feet high at its shoulder blades, eighteen at its head. The _thing_ had six limbs, the front two acted as its forelegs, both as thick as trees. The left one was covered in long black fur, that had almost a green tinge to it. The foot, or paw, of that same leg held four long toes, plus another further up the leg, each of which had a long black claw protruding from it, they were as long as a human forearm. The right front leg, was similar to left down to the elbow, but past that it looked nothing like it's pair. Instead of the mangy black fur that should cover it, from where the elbow of the leg started, the muscle beneath could be seen and further down the muscle hung loosely revealing the bones of the leg. The two bare bones were yellow-brown with cracks and chips; these bones continued to the bones of the paw which separated into individual toes; muscle was no longer present. The black claws ended each of the bone toes.

The second set of limbs, the middle pair, were covered in scales, they didn't resemble legs in anyway. The limbs ended at the same point with three long, sharp, claws. These limbs however, splayed out to their full extent on either side to grow into large, thick leathery wings. The wings had four long fingers that separated the membrane into four sections, each also ended with a claw. The leathery membrane was thick, but faded from opaque to transparent. The wings had holes in them and the edges of the membranes were tone and tattered similar to a worn out hem.

The last pair of limbs were the hind legs, they were shorter than the front two, but not by much. The haunches of the legs were huge, nearly as large as the front legs were thick. The legs however tapered off narrowing to a less bulky mass of muscle. The back paws of these legs were covered in scales down to the elbow joints where the scales began to intertwine with mangled black fur. The legs were similar to that of a werewolf's, if only larger and much more dangerous.

A tail whipped back and forth behind the thing, it was long and forked into two different parts half way down. Both had spikes lining the end and whipped around as if they had minds of their own. Following the line of thickening spikes up the tail, they continued up the thing's back only to begin more lines of thicker, wider spikes. The sharp, pointed bones laid slightly flat on the thing's back, and where there were no spikes dull grey and black scales covered the muscle below. Where the neck met the shoulders the spikes became huge, single scales that were layered over each other to the top of the head. Scales wrapped around the neck and met with the long mangy fur once again to shield the chest. The fur continued on the underside, but scales and fur met yet again on the side of the thing. In the thing's right side was a gaping hole, thick rib bones easily visible as there was no muscle or fur to cover them. A few intestine hung down from their internal placing, swinging to and fro, covering the rib bones in blood along with the surrounding scales and fur.

The head of the thing was monstrous. Two huge, thick ram-like horns curled up, high over it's ears and down towards the thing's own face creating two nearly perfect circles had it not been for the ends left unconnected by six inches. Both horns were a dark blue, nearly black, with ridges covering them; the left one was missing a fair portion of it's point. Two more horns protruded from its head and curled only slightly inward growing more towards the sky; they too were knobbly and rough, the left one missing a large chuck from the side of it. In a central line down its face were horns that grew progressively smaller the closer they got to the nose of the thing.

The wide muzzle, if that's what one could call it, was covered in scales on the top and long fur on the lower half that created a mangled, black-grey beard. The left cheek, or jowl, was not whole, three oval holes formed and stretched whenever the thing opened its mouth. With the pieces of the left horns missing and the holes in the cheek one could guess something took a swipe at that side of the thing'sface. The nose of the thing was not covered by flesh or scale or fur, it was bone-exposed to the chilling, black abyss. It looked similar to that of a human-skull's nose, but much wider, and above it a large hooked horn.

The mouth of the thing was full of long, wide, gnarled, yellow teeth; the teeth were crooked and chipped and broken and lopsided within the dark, bloody gums of the thing. Its lips were pulled back revealing the deadly fangs and allowing thick saliva dyed pink by blood to drip from the jaw. The teeth and the eyes were the scariest features of this thing. The eyes were laid into the head and encircled by scales that looked similar to spikes, below and above each eye was a long spike to act guard against any unwelcome debris. The eyes themselves were black, blacker than the surrounding abyss, with a single, blood red dot at the center of the blackness, the red pupils shone brightly, as though they were the pupils of the devil. The eyes were filled with every fear, every horror of anyones' mind, it was like looking into your worse nightmare and watching it come true around you. The feeling was indescribable, there were no words for the terrible, horrible, bone chilling, hair raising feeling that washed and flooded one and knocked you to the ground leaving you empty, and terrified of everything around you, leaving you to your own demise. No, there was no way to describe the feeling that those eyes established with one look.

Thing. It was a thing that had been swallowed by hell and frightened the devil himself enough to throw it back into the world of the living. It was every child's, even every adult's, monster in the closet. It was fear. It was horror. It was dread. Hate. Loathing. Guilt. Disgust. Panic. Chaos. Rage. Envy. It was extraordinary in the most terrible way, and it left one unable to live. It was everything you didn't want. It was everything in your nightmares made true.

"It's the Beast."

Good had spoke, only a whisper of words, so silent he didn't think any could hear.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **Hope you enjoyed it, I had a lot of fun writing the beast so I hope you liked it. Reviews are a greatly appreciate. **Check out my one-shot.**

**-Jopo :)**


	13. The Self is What Resides Within Us

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**What's Happening:** They confront the Beast. (Read the pervious chapters).

**Note: **Blah Blah Blah, I'm sure none of you want my excuses to why this took me so long, so I won't waste your time.

**READ:** I have updated and edited all of the pervious chapters, if you've already read them it is unnecessary to go back and read them again, but I did change up quite a bit more than I thought I would.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter ****13: The Self is What Resides Within Each of Us**

"_It's the Beast."_

"That is it's known name, but it has another that cannot be spoken," Good's whispers settled around the heroes and sunk in, but the moment its echo died the hulking, evil thing_,_ 'the Beast' as Good had called it, lunged forward. The heroes split, each going in their own direction to save themselves from the Beast.

"What is it," Shayera asked, her voice trembling almost as badly as her body.

The Beast let out a great roar that shook the ground and its tail whipped around, Jason, Donna, and Dick barely avoided decapitation. Zatanna threw a ball of light at the creature, it turned on her and leapt forward. J'onn wrapped his arms around her and both slipped into the ground beneath them reappearing a ways away.

"What the Hell is it?" John yelled. His voice caught the Beast's attention and it leapt forward once again, this time faster than before, John couldn't do anything. A large clawed paw batted the Green Lantern away like a fly, John flew a hundred yards before tumbling to a stop.

Shayera hefted her mace and took to the air, charging the Beast, "You're Going To Pay For That!" She bellowed angrily. Shayera swung her mace, but faulted, not making contact when she had expected to. The Beast had dodged back and avoided the blow.

"You cannot hurt it!" Evil called callously from where he and Good had found haven.

Clark rose into the air, "We can take him!" He ignored Evil's words believing that if they worked together they could take on the monster, they'd fought worse.

"Attack it in groups from different sides, one group following the next," Barbra instructed from her vantage point.

Dick nodded at Donna, Kent, and Wally, together they charged the Beast. The Beast beat it's wings twice sending Wally and Dick flying. Donna shielded her face with her arms, but it did little against the dust the creature stirred up. Kent threw up a protective shield barely saving himself.

Clark, Diana, and Shayera flew towards the Beast as fast as they could but the Beast was faster, it's tail connected with Clark's chest and sent him sailing, Diana barely dodged a snap of it's powerful jaws, and Shayera dodged its tail but flew right into the gaping hole in its side.

The heroes watched in horror as the Beast glanced at its side, it shook its body violently, before roaring again. The heroes waited for some sign of their winged companion, but none came.

"Shayera!" Inza screamed. Her shout matched by the others.

Diana shot towards the Beast at full speed ready to do whatever it took to get Shayera back. Diana aimed for the forepaw without skin protecting it. Not slowing Diana raised her fist and seconds later made contact with the Beasts' bone. There was a loud crack, Diana pulled her fist back and struck again; the bone broke and the Beast roared.

The others watched stunned until Cass woke them from their trace, "Hit it now!" Realizing their chance they all attacked. Diana punched the other leg bone trying to break it too.

Terry, Tim, Cass, and Dick all ran towards the middle legs and nimbly climbed them mounting the creature and standing on its back. Cass and Terry ran up its neck hunting for pressure points, they threw kicks and punches at the heavy tendons straining against the skin. Dick and Tim stayed at the base of its neck doing damage to it shoulder blades.

The Beast roared in anger and shifted its weight so not to lean on its broken bone. It flapped its wings and shook violently trying to rid itself of the Bat-clan. It's tail whipped around smashing into the nearby rocks sending stones flying.

Zatanna, Kent, and Inza stood below the Beast trying to clamp a muzzle over its snapping jaw. It was proving difficult with its constant movement and they couldn't stretch the light energy any further. Kent broke his bond with Zatanna and Inza and summoned a beam of magic. Feeling he'd collected enough Kent threw it at the Beast's chest, but the Beast swung its head around to try and knock Terry and Cass off it's neck, the bolt hitting its shoulder instead. The Beast reared spreading its wings.

Wally raced Jason up the Beast's back leg to the wings, taking hold of his knife Jason let go of Wally and stabbed the blade into the membrane of the right wing. Wally took to the left wing with a jagged rock dragging it through the membrane like a knife through butter. Wally continued his assault on the leathery stretch of skin ripping holes throughout the surface.

Clark flew behind the Beast and aimed his laser vision at its right wing. The red line of heat made contact with the membrane. Jason leapt out of the way, Wally raced over to him and helped him out of harms way. Clark ignored the Beast's roars of—what sounded like—pain and continued slicing through the membrane. The lasers finally reached arm of the wing and severed it completely causing more than half of the wing to fall.

The Beast continued to roar, but came down off its haunches landing on its forepaws. Diana and Donna flew clear of the leg they'd just broke as the Beast lowed to the ground once again. Landing on its forepaws the Beast caused his skinless leg to shattered as its weight landed on the two damaged bones. The Beast collapsed, falling to the ground with an earthquaking thud. Dirt rose around it creating a curtain, the heroes waited, peering into the dust.

The Bat-clan, who had nimbly leapt off the Beast, stood by Wally and Jason.

"It is not moving," J'onn spoke as he set down the unconscious Green Lantern. The heroes waited for the dust to settle.

Before them all lay the hideous Beast, unmoving. Clark flew in a bit closer, he saw the wing he'd severed lying a ways away. "Shayera?" Clark called approaching the hole in the Beast's side. No sound met the awaiting heroes. Clark flew closer, he could hear something, it was a faint, but growing stronger. Peering into the hole Clark couldn't believe what he saw. Diana and Kent joined him and searched for what had caught his attention.

"Can you see Shay?" Wally asked raising his voice to be heard over the distance.

Clark, Diana, and Kent blinked, captivated by the chilling sight before them. Within the hole in the Beast's side, the hole where ribs could been seen and past them intestine; from their vantage point the three heroes could see the main organ residing further up the chest cavity.

Beating slowly and steadily was a large heart. It hung suspended by tendons, strings of muscles, and arteries within the chest cavity. The pulsing organ was captivating, the way the rhythm of it matched one's own heart, it was so peaceful, but so frightening and full of hate. It oozed coldness, hatred. It beat, but sent no blood to the body, it seemed to have no function that effected the health, it was just there: beating, pointless, useless. It was terrifying how beautiful it was, the heart. The color of it captured all attention, the onyx, the complete blackness of the organ, made it memorizing, alluring. The three watching it realized the black heart did bleed, it bled hatred, greed, anger.

The three heroes could do nothing but stare until Tim's voice broke the silence, "It's Moving!"

The flying heroes shot backwards and examined the Beast for any sign of movement. A deep inhale drew their attention to its head, the Beast's body shuddered as it took a great breath. Diana looked towards the gaping hole in its side and saw large blood red lungs inflate, the movement revealed a flash of silver. Diana dove for the hole.

"Diana!" Clark yelled watching her.

The Beast's eyes snapped open and the red irises over took the whole eye before shrinking back to a small circle surrounded by black. The Beast rolled to its stomach placing its good paw on the ground, pushing itself up. The heroes sped away and found safety among the fallen rocks.

Clark whipped around and searched for Diana, he spotted her diving right for the hole. "DIANA!" Diana ignored him and continued, only focused on the gleam of silver she had seen, it was Shayera, it had to be.

Diana dove into the oozing intestines and was immediately slowed by the discharge that clung to her. She began to fight her way through the organs until she reached the base of the lungs. Lifting the heavy, air filled organ she looked for the flash of metal she'd seen beneath the lung. Spotting it she dropped the lung and lunged for it, gripping whatever it was.

Clark watched as Diana disappeared under a lung, he waited as the organ resettled. Nothing happened. "DIANA!" Clark dove forward intending to retrieve the woman he considered a sister, no matter what.

Clark barely dodged the steel jaws that came at him, he pivoted and changed flight, but was met by a brick wall. The tail slammed into Clark's chest and winded him to the point that he saw stars, the tail drove him through the air and he wasn't aware of what direction until the tail stopped and he continued into the ground. Clark smashed into the ground and went through several layers of dirt before stopping. Clark couldn't move, the force of the impact had sent him into shock and his body couldn't respond fast enough.

The others watched from where they were as Clark was smashed into the ground creating a crater yards wide. The beast lifted its leg with the broken bones and placed it over the crater. It pressed down and trapped Clark beneath its claws. The broken bones were fit together with their broken counterparts, but it was a messy fitting that didn't seem to effect the Beast in anyway.

An angry roar ripped through the air and the Beast whipped its head around to face its side. Diana burst threw the intestines and shot past the snapping jaw. She flew above the Beast out of reach, she was covered in what looked like thick blood and a black puss of some sort. In her hand she held Shayera's mace, she stared down at the Beast, anger and sadness fighting against each other to become her dominate feeling.

The Beast looked up at her flying above it and its eyes met Diana's. Diana froze for a single moment before dropping to the ground like a stone, she landed in a heap of limp limbs creating a small tremor when her body hit the earth.

"Di!" Wally yelled. Dick and Tim grabbed hold of the Scarlet Speedster before he could run off and try and help his fallen companion. Wally stopped moving allowing the two Bats to relax, at which point he raced out of their grip and towards Diana. The Beast saw Wally and met him with a beat of his wing. The gust sent Wally tumbling across the ground and into a large rock where his head connected with rock.

"He is awakening," J'onn said, the Bat-clan, who where those nearest turned to see John blinking lazily.

"What happ—Look Out!"

It was took late, the Bat-clan had no time to move as the split tail smashed into the rocks like a recking-ball. The explosion of earth threw the Bat-clan in all directions. Cass landed in a heap several yards away, her body still weak from the nightmare to be able to sustain much more damage. Terry hit multiple rocks on his way back to the earth. Dick and Tim slammed into each other and then met the ground with such force that ribs were broken.

Jason raced towards the Beast in a violent rage, Zatanna close behind him. Both were swept off their feet by the tail and gouged open by the sharp edges of the whip like limb. Kent flew up and from his vantage point wrapped a shield around the two fallen heroes. The Beast took notice and lowered his head ramming it into the energy shield.

Kent felt the force of the blow in his bones. The Beast struck again and Kent's hold on the shield faltered. Seeing Kent struggle, Donna flew towards the Beast catching its attention. The Beast swung it head again and Donna's arm was caught by a jagged horn, she could hear her flesh tear as the Beast continued moving its head away from her.

"Get out of there!" Inza called out to her. Donna obeyed and flew back to the safety of the rocks. Landing near Barbra Donna tried her hardest to ignore the burning sensation in her arm. She looked out over the ground of the battle field and saw her fallen comrades.

She saw Clark trapped and unmoving beneath the Beast's broke forepaw. She saw her sister's limp body laying feet from the underside of the Beast. She looked towards the large rock where Wally had been thrown, she could barely see the rise and fall of his chest. Cass and Terry lay in piles of rocks at odd angles covered in blood and dirt. She could see Tim struggling to remove a rock from atop his mangled arm. She watched as Dick struggled to stand, he placed a hand on the rock wall next to him for support and began limping towards his brother. Donna turned away and saw John struggling to regain control of his damaged body with the help of J'onn. She saw Kent sweating, trying to hold the shield that protected Jason and Zatanna from further attack, a shield that was faltering. She looked towards the Beast's side for any sign of the woman who she saw as her winged aunt, but there was nothing.

Resting her gaze on the Beast's face Donna met its red pupil-ed eyes and shuddered as everything she feared began to surface. Her mind became a haze of nightmares and she began to see flashes of deaths, of loved ones turning away from her, a feeling of complete loneliness and childlike horror settling over her, but after it wrapped around her it began to recede. Donna regained control of her mind and stared at the Beast as it relinquished its gaze. Donna watched as the jowls stretched back displaying the crooked, yellow, jagged teeth; she couldn't believe it, the Beast was giving her some sort of smile. It knew it had won, knew there was no chance they could beat it and it wanted Donna to know they had no chance and that they would die when the Beast became bored with them.

Donna wanted to cry, but the Amazon in her would not let the tears fall. She was exhausted, she was worried for her friends' sakes and her own, and she was in a dark place that hadn't seen light or happiness in years and it seemed to be seeping into her person.

Kent's arms fell as the Beast rammed his shield once more, this time breaking it, he descended to the ground a few feet away from Zatanna and Jason. The light he was omitting caught the Beast's attention and it turned on him lowering its head. The jaw opened displaying the teeth of the creature, saliva the color of dark blood dripped from the monstrous yellow teeth. The holes in the jowls stretched, lighting the inside of the mouth. Kent tried to throw up a shield to protect himself, but he was too weak, he'd expanded to much of his energy to even produce an orb of light. He stood, slightly hunched and waited for the jaw to clamp down around him.

The heroes that had pushed themselves into an upright position had a clear view of Kent and the creature that stood before him ready to finish the fight. The Beast lunged and the heroes turned away.

"Umbra de Tenebrae." The familiar baritone voice of silk swept over the ground and settled over everyone. The heroes turned back and rested their eyes on the battle field, the Beast had moved away from Kent and stood before another figure.

"Bruce!" The voice of the heroes' intermingled and were lost within each other as the shouts rang out. Standing in front of the creature stood Bruce as they knew him, broad shouldered, strong, and ready for action. His cobalt eyes shone as he looked across the ground. Bruce walked towards the crater that Clark lay in and went to his friend, Clark groaned but at the sight of Bruce he sat up.

"Bruce." Clark exclaimed weakly.

The others began making their way to the crater in which the two blue eyed males were, once they were all gathered Bruce turned his Batglare on them. "What are you doing here?" The cold chill that was the Bat had over taken his voice and the words sent shivers down the heroes' spines.

"We're trying to help." Clark wheezed, reaching a standing position with the help of J'onn.

Bruce's glare sharpened, "Help? You have cross the line Kent. This is my mind, not some playground that you can fool around with. There are reasons I don't let people in."

"Yes, we know."

Bruce turned to Barbra who had spoken, he looked from her to Tim, to Dick who was hiding pity beneath his gaze, and then to Cassandra who's face was covered in blood and deep gashes surrounding her ears. She gave him no sigh of an emotion, but he looked at her hands also covered in blood and visions of what she had seen flashed before his own eyes. He turned away from his adopted children, "I can handle my own battles. This place is far too dangerous for you."

"I tried to tell them, but these foolish metas would have nothing of my warnings," Evil's gravely snarl echoed around them. The Batman made of shadows stepped forward with Good by his side. Martha and Thomas followed further behind.

Bruce faced his consciences, "They do that."

"But we need their help, they can stop Mom and Dad from disappearing," Good cried desperately.

Bruce's gaze snapped to his parents who no longer had the color their apparitions once held. "They won't." Bruce said, it was a statement clearly meant and said with such force that it couldn't possible be seen as false. The two consciences swirled, like Martha and Thomas had before. Good's figure became a swirl of billowing white wisps and Evil's turned to dark twisting fog. Both swelled and then smashed into Bruce's chest and the white wisps and black fog that rolled off Bruce's chest dissipated around him.

Martha and Thomas came forward and the heroes stepped back to give them room. They all waited for the pair to say something to their son; Bruce's eyes met his parents for a moment before dropping, the elder Waynes' figures became wisps and a gust picked up and they vanished the way wind dispersed fog.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Donna asked.

"There was nothing to be said."

"Bruce," Clark pushed.

Bruce turned on his friend, "I cannot speak to them, because I do not know what they would say. We are in my mind Kent! I've created everything in here, everything comes from _my_ knowledge, from _my_ mind."

Clark fell silent, his comrades words sinking in, how could Bruce not know what his parents would say to him. Clark was sure they would be proud of him and have nothing but encouraging words to give their son.

"Where is Shayera?" The other heroes faced John.

Inza was the first to speak, "The Beast..." Her hand flew to her mouth and she suppressed a cry.

John's eyes widened, "What?"

Bruce's eyes narrowed, "What happened?"

"We saw you lying on the ground and Clark made to help you, but this creature," Jason shuddered, "came out of nowhere and began attacking us."

"You tried to fight Umbra de Tenebrae?" Bruce's voice was flat, betraying no emotion though a small flash of anger was hidden deep in his eyes.

"Good called it the Beast." Wally piped in, he shuddered, "That thing was scary."

"It should be," Bruce snapped, "But only you would be foolish enough to try and take it on." The heroes knew they were all being addressed.

"What happened to Shayera!" John's anger was evident as his question burst forth laced with frustration and worry.

Zatanna swallowed, "She flew into the Beast's side right after it knocked you down, she never emerged."

"Where is it?" John demanded.

The heroes looked over their make shift battle field but the huge creature was no where in sight, its severed wing still lay on the ground, the long tears in the membrane from Jason's knife still present. Large splinters of its bones lay around the spot where Diana had punched the bones to the point of breaking.

"Where did it go," Tim asked warily, hoping to god that it wouldn't jump out and kill them all.

Bruce turned his back on all the heroes and face the area where the pieces of bone and wing lay, he took a few steps forward and stopped. The air went cold and before them all the Beast appeared, all the heroes, though still it pain, took to their defensive positions ready to defend themselves and their comrades.

The Beast let out a breath and stamped it's unbroken forepaw, the force created a tremor that reached the heroes and shook the ground beneath their feet. The severed wing that lay on the ground began to dissolve into black flames.

"The shoulder," Inza pointed out. The others looked towards the shoulder where the wing hand been cut, from that remaining stump of a limb black flames erupted, but they weren't burning the Beast.

Jason's eyes widened, "Its regenerating."

Kent watched as the black flames ate at the fallen wing, but seemed to grow on the stump, "It is not regenerating. The flames that consume the severed wing are simply recreating it, moving it. It is the same wing." Kent was right, as the wing on the ground became less and less, the stump at the Beast's shoulder grew more and more, until the wing on the ground was no more and where the stump once was the wing now set, reattached as if nothing had happened.

"Oh shit," Jason exclaimed, "the leg." The Beast now stood and waited as the large splinters of bone that lay on the ground were consumed by the same black flames and began to rebuild the broken bones.

"We should strike it now," Diana said, agitated by her companions lack of action.

"That is a stupid idea," Bruce replied, "You can't fight it, let alone in your conditions." After the leg had finished repairing itself the Beast came forward and stopped before Bruce. "Release Shayera."

"_The winged one?"_ All the heroes flinched as the unspoken question entered their minds sending chills down their spines and freezing their hearts.

Bruce nodded. The Beast turned to face the hole in its side, the organs caged within the ribs began to shift and thick puss the color of dark blood and shades of black oozed from the intestine. After a few moments a feather covered wing appeared followed by a body and then another wing all soaked with the dark puss. Shayera began to fall from the creature's side, but before the others could act, its tail swept around and caught her, then lowered her to the ground.

Shayera turned over and pushed herself to her hands and knees at which point she began to hurl. Wiping her mouth she stood, her legs shaking, and faced her friends. "Hguntla Ftilyth!" The Thanagarian curse was spat out with fury letting the others know their winged friend was one hundred percent if not a little shaken.

John raced to his wife and threw an arm around her to steady her. The Beast's shadow loomed over them and she turned back to face the creature. Wrenching away from John Shayera took a warrior's battle stance and let out a raged cry. "I'll Destroy You!"

"Shayera, No!" John tried to grip his wife arm, but she wouldn't allow him to touch her.

The Beast lowered its head and pulled back its lips displaying it yellow teeth once again. The creature was smirking at her, and when a noise erupted from deep within its throat, Shayera roared again, she would not tolerate the Beast laughing at her. Shayera let out a string of, what the others assumed to be, Thanagraian curses before yelling for her mace. The Beast seemingly understanding Shayera's need for blood shed snarled. The sound washed over and around the group freezing them and sending fear trickling down their spines and into every last nerve ending.

Bruce stepped forward, "Umbra de Tenebrae, desistere quiescam." The Beast snapped its jaw, its teeth stopping so close to Shayera that its breath rustled her feathers, then took two steps back before lowering to the ground and resting its head on the rocks littering the area.

"Wha—You—How?" Wally stammered before his mouth hung slack, eyes darting between Bat and Beast.

Clark and the other gazed at Bruce in amazement. "What—what is that thing?" Clark finally asked.

"He is my Custos."

"Your guardian?" Donna asked incredulously, eyebrows raised.

"Yes."

John's brow drew together, "From what?"

"People entering my mind!" Bruce growled.

Kent, much calmer than the others, stepped forward, "How is it that it does not die."

Bruce turned back to the Beast and looked it over. "Mea metus. Mea tragoediae. Mea tenebrae et metus vitae. Daemon et custos metus malum atra cordis. De mea cordis."

Kent, Inza, Donna, and Diana all looked taken aback. Cass and J'onn were also surprised, but they hid it better. The rest of the group exchanged puzzled looks.

"My fears. My tragedies. The darkness and the fear of my life," J'onn translated, he paused, taking a breath, "A demon and keeper of the fear of the dark evil of the heart. Of mine own heart."

Bruce turned back to the stunned heroes, "That is why you cannot kill Umbra de Tenebrae, the Shadow of Darkness. It is made of all my fears and pain, everything that darkens my heart and mind is what created it and keeps it alive, which is why you were foolish to ever try and harm it." Bruce allowed his angry to slip through his mask. "It keeps me alive. It keeps me from falling into myself."

Wally broke the silence that followed Bruce's explanation, "But if it's so strong why does it have all those holes and stuff?"

Bruce turned to face Wally, "My mind created it this way." He allowed his words to sink in before continuing, "Though, a few of those scars are from others who've tried and failed to break into my mind, something they regretted immensely afterward."

"That's what happened to Dr. Destiny?" Tim questioned, a look of slight worry crossing his face. Bruce nodded. The other founders shuddered remembering the events that had lead up to Dr. Destiny's ultimate fate and the aftermath of the fight between him and the Dark Knight. **[1]**

"I spoke to you all of this before," J'onn affirmed.

Bruce looked towards the martian. "Why did you allow this? You know exactly how I feel about an intrusion into my mind." The last words came out as a growl.

Clark interjected, "Bruce, don't blame J'onn, we've seen things, seen-"

"Don't!" Roared Bruce, he turned on the Kansas boy and poked a finger to his chest and drew himself to his full, intimidating height, "Don't you dare! Don't speak a word of what you've seen. You should not have seen anything. Any of you!" Bruce whipped around and glared at the others before turning back to Clark. "I keep to myself for reasons that I should not have to give to you! Everyone has their secrets and mine should always be left alone. I don't need a bumbling boyscout tripping through my mind poking his nose into things that are none of his business," Bruce snarled poking Clark hard in the chest.

"We are only trying to-"

"-to help? Yes, I know, but you've done nothing helpful yet. You thought you could waltz in here and throw some kicks and-" Bruce was cut silent as he fell to his knees, clutching his chest with one hand.

"Bruce." Diana exclaimed rushing forward along with the others. Dick and Tim crouched next to their mentor ignoring their own injuries to help Bruce who was clawing at his shirt like it was suffocating him. Diana gripped either side of his collar and tore it, the buttons popped off and his shirt fell away revealing his chest.

Small cuts and bruises could be seen scattered across his chest, but as the heroes got a better look they noticed the injuries began to grow in size, it was slow, but it was there. As the present ones began to grow, slowly, others began to appear. Pink lines beneath the flesh rose to the surface of the skin until they turned red and the skin broke, then slowly blood began to ooze out of the wounds almost like it was tar.

Bruce took a huge shuddering breath, his chest heaving heavily, the suffocating stopping. Looking down Bruce saw the wounds growing from his flesh.

J'onn and Bruce made eye contact. "The Self is becoming damaged."

"What is the Self?" Barbra asked scrutinizing her mentor and his injuries.

"The Self is what resides within each of us, it is the true you. It lays deep within your heart and mind protected by your mental walls and physical body. Only the most significant and monumental events can change the Self, for both good or bad." J'onn explained.

"Like finding your soulmate, or having a child," Zatanna continued, "Events of good can make the Self better, often healing old wounds. But, events of the bad: heartbreak, disease, death, can change Self for the worse, sometimes doing physical damage to the Self."

"But, neither case relates to this," J'onn added. "Something is breaking through the mental walls and has weakened the physical body to a point where it can no longer be of use in protecting the Self. This toxin that Batman has taken in was created to target the physical healing process and to assault the mental walls to the point of breaking."

As Dick and Tim helped their father up, despite his protesting, Bruce turned to J'onn. "How long have I been out?" J'onn met his comrade's eyes and held the steely gaze. "_J'onn_."

"Fourteen days since you we're first poisoned. After your mind realized we were present I predicted you'd only have ten days left," J'onn answered.

"How many days have passed since you made that prediction," Bruce's voice was cold and hard.

J'onn could not look his most respected friend in the eye, he didn't wish to tell him how much time had passed, but he knew he had to tell him, or else everything they'd worked for would have been for nothing. "...nine days." J'onn looked to his friend's face, and was met with a stone cold mask.

"Nine days? What? We've been here for nine days?" Wally asked wide eyed.

Kent nodded answering for J'onn, "It is understandable, we have been through much and though it has only seemed to have taken mere hours it has taken days, Batman's mind is a vast expanse to explore. Do you believe it would take J'onn only a few hours to shift through every thought and memory in your mind?"

Wally opened his mouth, but then closed it, "Oh."

"The pet's moving," John said catching everyone's attention with his random comment. Sixteen pairs of eyes turned to the creature that had smashed them each into the ground. Ignoring the eyes focused on it, the Beast stood, the movement shaking the ground. A low, throaty growl pass from its mouth as it stared out into the black abyss.

The Beast leapt to its feet the movement to quick to follow. It waited, listening, staring into the darkness.

The atmosphere dropped to a subzero temperature and darkness engulfed them all, taking their sight.

"Bruce wh-"

"Quiet."

A faint glow appeared in a wide circle around the group. The green-yellow glow seemed to be emitting from the ground. As it grew in power the group regained their sight, but they sill squinted against the blackness.

The glow stretched and grew before them, emerging from the ground in the form of ghostly figures. The glow from the figures lit the expanse eerily, but the heroes could see. The glows twisted into creatures and people of all sizes, each armed to the teeth.

The shapes before them were villains, hundreds of villains, but also heroes, most members of the League stood among the ranks along with the Batclan and the Justice Lords.

A Joker stepped forward, he was opaque, the light forming him a haze of green-yellow that detailed every feature of the madman down to his last eyelash. The glow's lips pulled back and slowly stretched over two rows of teeth, the grin wickedly smirking.

The Joker glow took a step forward and another and another quickening as he went until he was running. The glows behind him roared and followed his lead charging forward, the fast ones easily passing the Joker glow.

"It's found the Self." J'onn whispered in horror.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **Well? Sorry it took so long, but let me know what you think. Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcomed; no flames though. **Check out my one-shot.**

**-Jopo :)**


	14. Brother's Are Always There

**Disclaimer/Summary: **See chapter one.

**Note: **I've posted this early do to the opening of **Man of Steel**, which was _awesome_! Definitely worth the go see. Oh and I have no beta, so please excuse any errors.

**Happy Reading, Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 14: Brother's Are Always There**

* * *

"What do we do?"

"Fight it," Kent answered, "It's the only thing we can do."

The Glows seemed unable to speak, but their ability to roar was ten fold normal volume. As the figures raced across the expanse the heroes rolled shoulders, cracked knuckles, and took fighting stances. The first to move was the Beast. The large guardian leapt forward meeting the Glows. The Beast swung its tail knocking multiple figures away; it snapped at more, severing limbs; it stomped its forelegs sending tremors into the oncoming Glows.

Taking the Beast's action as the signal the others jumped into the fray right after it. Barbra hung back, unsure how to escape the battlefield. J'onn, sensing her distress flew her to higher ground where she could still observe the fighting.

The heroes, though they'd been through hell fighting the Beast, fought with all their remaining strength. However, the Glows seemed to take it all in stride, forcing Bruce's other defenses to kick into gear. The silhouettes that had previously removed the heroes from Bruce's minds appeared. Good and Evil reappeared along with multiple other creatures that were similar to the Beast.

They all fought with tooth and nail, not willing to give up on the battle. Bruce, from his position on the field could see how terribly the fight was going. The Glows could not be destroyed, when they were downed they simply rose again and continued forward anew.

The heroes did their best to fight back, but they'd sustained more injuries along with their previous ones. The heroes had exhausted most of their energy and were fighting on reserve, which was proving fatal.

Bruce knew he had to do something before his colleagues were caught within his mind when the battle was lost.

Jason was nearest Bruce, engaged with Kyle Abbott's glow who was in his werewolf form. Demon and myth were wrestling each other, though Abbott had the upper hand, his teeth sunk into Etrigan's shoulder. Bruce dodged a glow's clawing grasp and brought his fists down atop Abbott's large skull, the werewolf released Jason, shaking its head and staggering from the blow. Bruce gripped Jason and hauled him to his feet, the movement was forceful and Jason did not realize what was happening until it was too late. "No. Bruce-"

Bruce didn't watch as the demon vanished, instead looking for the next nearest hero.

Kent was attempting to ward off Man-Bat; the sorcerer summoned fire and light, but they did nothing against the glow. Throwing a blast of magic at the creature before him Kent gathered more magic preparing for a followup. Transporting himself behind the creature Kent released the magic dispersing the glow's light form. Kent watched as the light partials drew back together, recreating Man-Bat. Kent held his breath summoning the powers of Nabu, but he opened his eyes when he felt two fingers upon his temple.

Bruce stood before him, their eyes met briefly and Kent could not get a word out before he was sent out of Bruce's mind. Bruce sent a vicious kick to Man-Bat and ducked and dodged between other Glows en route to Tim. Bruce paused alongside a silhouette fighting off multiple glows. "Get Barbra," he ordered. The silhouette vanished and Bruce continued forward.

Tim allowed a glow to grab hold of him and throw him, using the momentum to his advantage the once Boy Wonder landed a two footed kick on Mr. Freeze's chest, the glow stumbled back and fell. Tim swiveled around and preformed a one armed handspring to avoid a blow from Deadshot's glow. Landing Tim didn't pause as he brought his leg around in a round house that Deadshot neatly dodged. "You've gotten better!" Tim grinned. Still clutching his broke arm to his chest Tim swung at Deadshot who ducked under it, but Tim anticipated this and grabbed hold of his collar and use the glow's momentum against him and threw him into Mr. Freeze who'd just risen to his feet.

Before Tim could land another two footed kick Bruce reached out and yanked the third Robin from the air, rather than hitting the ground like he'd expected Tim fell into darkness.

Inza was Bruce's next target, she was fighting with her back to a silhouette and dodging killing blows from Hush and Scarecorw's glows. Though she was fairing well, Bruce could tell she was tired, movements that would usually be smooth were staggered, screaming of fatigue. Turning to Hush Inza didn't see Scarecrow run up behind her with knife in hand.

Bruce dove for the woman.

Scarecrow fumbled as his knife met darkness. Seeing Bruce the glow roared in rage. Bruce rolled out of the way of the knife; a silhouette stepped into the path of the glow and engaged it in battle allowing Bruce to continue expelling his colleagues from his mind.

A great roared sounded from Bruce's left and he watched as six glows were launched into the air, he saw a flash of feathers and began fighting his way to his next target.

Shayera bellowed a Thanagarian war cry and flew at King Kraken, her mace raised high. The spiked metal club connected with the glow's mid section sending him flying into other glows. The light forming his abdomen separated momentarily before piecing back together. Shayera shook off the disappointment and charged again. Shayera continued her assault, not relenting, she already noticed that they were losing the battle, but she refused to give up, so when Kraken stood after yet another fatal blow Shayera shot into the darkness. Snapping her wings shut the Thanagarian dived towards the ground and her intended target, Kraken was kicked out of the way and before she could stop her dive Shayera's mace connected with Bruce, or so she had thought.

* * *

Shayera awoke with a throbbing headache and a feeling akin to having been crushed by a building rolling through her body from head to toe.

"What do you mean?!"

The voice was a knife to Shayera's ears, but as the words registered she remembered what she had done—or rather—hadn't. Shayera snapped her eyes opened and was met with spots, blinking away the colors and adjusting to the light she attempted to stand.

A hand gripped her bicep to help her, it was Jason. "Get me back in there!" She bellowed.

Those also standing in the room turned to her. Kent was the first to speak, "I have tried, he has blocked me out."

"How can that be?!" Tim asked furiously gesturing wildly with one hand, "He can barely fight off the toxin yet he has the strength to keep you out?"

"I do not understand it either, but I can not get in, I am met by blankness, like his mind is frozen," Kent explained hurriedly.

Shayera approached the sorcerer, "What are you saying?"

"We-"

"ARHHH!" The yell of rage echoed in the operation room and the occupants turned to the source.

Cass had leapt out of her chair the yell rolling off her lips. She growled seeing each of them, "Why would he do this? He needs our help!" She rounded on Kent, "Why haven't you reentered his mind?"

"We can not," Inza said, tears streaming down her face.

Cass stared at her mentor, she swayed heavily and Jason and Kent caught her before she could fall.

"You have lost too much blood," Kent said, "You need a transfusion." The cowl over Cass' face was tore to shreds and dripping with blood. Her ears had long gashes surrounding them, the cuts were deep and rough and still bleeding. Cass' gloves had been ripped off and her hands were covered in blood, bits of flesh stuck beneath her finger nails. "I was correct, you did inflict this upon yourself even though you mind was not within your body."

"It's no different from my arm," Tim added holding up the arm he'd been keeping close to his chest. The others turned to him noticing the injury for the first time. Blood had soaked Red Robin's sleeve and a bone protruded from flesh.

"Merlin, what is the matter with you Bats?!" Jason exclaimed rushing towards the cabinets looking for bandages.

Before Jason could lay out the medical supplies Barbra awoke, her groan alerting the others to her awakened state. "Where am I?" She asked, her eyes closed against the lights.

"The Watchtower, we are no longer in Bruce's mind," Inza answered furiously wiping tears from her eyes.

Barbra's eyes snapped open, "Why?"

"Fuck Why! I Just Want To Get Back There!" Cass yelled, her voice hoarse. She wobbled again and Barbra noticed the blood on her sister's face for the first time, how she missed it she didn't know, there was so much of it.

"Cass you're bleeding!"

"It's nothing," The Batgirl said, but it obviously wasn't. Shayera gripped the girl's upper arm and sat her in the chair she had previously occupied.

Barbra motioned to the transfusion equipment Jason had set down and asked Shayera to bring it to her. Finding the correct blood type Barbra began to hook the bag to the tubing with Shayera's assistance.

Inza helped Jason attend to Tim's arm while Kent stood at the end of Bruce's bed and stared at the man in concentration trying to find some way to reenter his friend's mind.

"I'm not sure I can set you're bone," Jason said as he wiped most of the blood away.

"I can do it," Tim said with a shrug.

Jason's eyebrows disappeared into his hair, "What?"

Tim shrug again, "It's no big deal." He reached for the rag Jason held and wrapped it securely around his forearm. "Can I barrow that?" he ask Inza who held another towel, the magician's wife gave it to him and he shoved it into his mouth. Jason was a bit disgusted that the boy was chewing on a rag covered in blood, but it was his own. Tim clenched his jaw and laid his forearm on the metal tray table, he place his good hand directly on the break. Breathing deeply through his nose Tim held his breath, then simultaneously he let it out and pressed down and out on his protruding bone as hard as he could. Tim could feel more flesh tear and pain shot through his arm and up his shoulder, his eyes watered at the burning, however an audible snap followed by a low crack signaled that the reset had been successful.

"Dear Merlin," Jason muttered shaking his head at the young man before him.

Tim spat the towel out of his mouth and allowed Inza to remove the bloody rag from his arm, "Thanks," he wheezed, shaking his head at the pain.

"I have enough strength to heal the tissue," Inza said setting the rags to the side.

Tim looked at the dark haired woman, "Are you sure?"

Inza nodded, "Yes."

"Okay, but only the tissue, I'll let nature take care of the rest," Tim said.

Inza nodded again and held her hands together her finger tips brushing the inside of her palms, slowly a gold light grew between her hands. She began to rotate her hands around the orb as it grew, when it was about the size of a softball she held it in one hand and dragged two fingers across its surface. Inza treated the orb like a paste, but she did not actually touch Tim's arm, instead she moved her fingers in a zigzag motion over the open wound, the light creating a tread within the swine that slowly pulled the wound closer together.

Inza continued until Tim's good hand closed over her wrist. "That's enough."

"But I am not done yet," she argued looking down at the wound that still bled and was still deep enough to expose one of his tendons.

Tim did not release her hand, he gave her a pointed look, "Yes you are."

Never in her life had Inza been defied by such a young person, it was not something she was willing to accept, however the seriousness in Tim's eyes seem to reach her brain because the orb she held vanished.

Tim smiled and let go of her wrist, "Don't worry, I've had worse."

"-Want To. Stop!" Cass' hoarse shout made Tim and Inza look towards Cass. The batgirl sat before Barbra refusing the woman's help.

"Cass you're bleeding!" Barbra argued attempting to get close to Cass with a wet towel.

"I Fucking Know Barbra!" Cass screeched. "I Don't Need You To Tell Me That!" Cass ripped off her shredded cowl exposing her deep gashes to the air, "Big Fucking Deal."

Barbra's jaw clicked, something Tim easily caught. "You Can't Even Stand!"

"Why The Fuck Are You Worrying About Me When Our Father Isn't Likely To Wake Up?!"

The room fell silent, the only sound coming from Bruce's monitors. Barbra's eyes widened before she closed them against her tears. Tim's mind shut down and all he could hear was his own heart beat. Cass sat breathing hard, her chest heaving, she didn't mean to say it, but it was the truth and they all knew it.

"I won't apologize," the words were harsh, but truthful. Cass' voice lowered to a whisper, "You can worry about me later, let's just focus on Bruce right now."

Barbra opened her eyes, "I don't expect _you_ to apologize," The bite within her tone made Tim flinch, he looked to Cass to gauge her reaction but the Batgirl was stone faced if not a little exhausted. Barbra wheeled herself towards Tim and checked his bandage, Tim didn't argue as she adjusted the wrap.

Just as Barbra began securing the end of Tim's wrapping a wave of rage—red hot fury—rolled through the room. It was like nothing any of them had felt before, the anger seemed to seep into their skin and spread to every one of their nerve endings. The feeling was so powerful Kent was pulled from his meditative state, he looked to each of the heroes, "What was that?"

"I—I don't know," Inza answered glancing around the room.

Another more powerful wave of rage swept through the room and the heroes watched as Mars' last living creature stood at his full hight, his human friendly form discarded. His eyes were a deep red-orange and he seemed to be emanating savagery. Floating a foot off the ground the martian approached Bruce's bed stopping at the end where Kent had perviously stood. In his haze like state J'onn stretched his left hand out before him, his hand snapped open, his fingers spread wide. J'onn's eyes began to glow and they watched as he continued to stare at Bruce's prone form.

Jason attempted to touch J'onn, but the martian had created some sort of shield around himself. They could do nothing, but watch as the martian's rage began to build, steadily filling the room with a great sense of anger. J'onn continued to look at Bruce's body with great intensity, however an anguished cry was ripped from the martian's lips and he collapsed to the cold floor, his form limp and his eyes closed.

* * *

Having just banished J'onn from his mind Bruce paused to kick a Cheetah glow in the gut, before working his way to Donna who fought alongside Dick, both of whom were fighting glows of villains and known heroes. Upon reaching them Bruce didn't bother to let his presence be known, he kicked Dick's opponent out of the way before grabbing his eldest by his collar and shoving him backwards into Donna, both stumbled from the impact.

"What-"

The dark haired heroes vanished before touching the ground. Rolling beneath a swing of a bully stick Bruce continued on his mission, glancing at a silhouette he gave an unspoken command, the willowy black figure zeroing in on John and Diana's positions.

"Bruce look out!"

Bruce had already sensed the glow sneaking up behind him, but ducked to allow Clark a clear shot at it. He observed the Man of Steel as he fought with what strength he had in reserve. Crouching down Bruce swung a leg around, catching two glows causing them to crash to the ground.

"Clark!"

The Man of Steel threw off a creature that resembled Hell Hound before turning to Bruce, "What?"

Bruce paused and caught the light blue eyes, "I..." Bruce shook his head, "Tell Lois I said hello."

Clark's eyes widened, a look of realization crossing his face before he vanished all together.

An enraged roar ripped through the air, Bruce looked to the source to see Diana struggling against two silhouettes who held her back. She struggled against their hold attempting to break free. Across the expanse Bruce met her eyes and she roared again, but it was a yell of anguish.

"N-" She disappeared before she could finish, and Bruce hung his head slightly. He gave another wordless command for the silhouettes to finish his mission by locating Zatannna and Wally.

Turning back to the fight Bruce dodged a two fisted swing made by a yellow-green Bane, the South American bull created a small crater with his fists. Bruce leapt over the man and landed a two footed kick on his lower back forcing the man to topple forward.

The large man quickly righted himself and lunged for Bruce who easily rolled out of the way, springing up Bruce kicked the man behind the knee. Bane collapsed; yelling the foreigner swung his left hand out a caught the top of Bruce's shoulder unexpectedly. Bruce shook his head, a slight dizziness coming over him. Rolling out of reach Bruce assessed the large man before him.

Bane regained his footing and charged just as Bruce readied himself for the offensive. Bane dodged right as Bruce suspected he would, but rather than swing back around to the left Bane planted his right hand on the ground in a half handstand and kicked his legs out catching Bruce with a powerful donkey kick on his left side.

Before Bruce could right himself a silhouette hauled him to his feet while another engaged Bane in combat. Bruce looked to the black figure, "Damn it Wally." Bruce cursed the speedster for being able to escape the silhouettes, "I'll take care of him." The black figure nodded before slipping into the fray.

It wasn't difficult for Bruce to located the Scarlet Speedster, he found the young hero zipping from glowing figure to glowing figure, knocking them down over and over again in a never ending battle. But Bruce knew better, he knew Wally would run out of steam, the kid had already exhausted himself fighting the Beast.

Bruce was yards away from Wally when he fell to his knees, immediately silhouettes swarmed him, protecting him in his vulnerable state.

"Bruce?"

Looking up Bruce faced the concerned green eyes of Wally. Bruce's chest constricted and he place a hand on Wally's shoulder for support. "Take it easy," Wally's voice was high and panicky. Bruce squeezed his eyes shut as the pain began to pass.

Opening his eyes when the pain was gone, Bruce maintained his grip on Wally's shoulder, "I'm okay."

"Are you sure, you don't look so good Bats."

"I'm fine."

To Wally's surprised however, Bruce made no move to stand. Wally attempted to move in order to better assist the Dark Knight into a standing position but he found Bruce's grip on his shoulder was vice like. "Can you let go Bats? That kind of hurts."

Bruce looked into the green eyes of the Speedster, and Wally could almost hear his world come crashing down around him. The look in Bruce's eyes was a mixture of pain, acceptance, and a number of others Wally couldn't name. "No. No." Wally shook his head, "Nononononono!"

"Wally. Wally!"

Wally met the blue eyes, his own filling with tears. "You can't.. you can't."

Bruce didn't say anything, he just watched the young hero before him. Bruce tightened his grip on Wally's shoulder.

Wally's hands shot up and gripped Bruce's wrist, "No, please! Please don't!"

"Wally.." Bruce growled. He sent the command, the jet of energy running down his arm and to the hero he was forcing out of his mind.

"You can't! You're my brother!"

The exclamation shocked Bruce to the point of which his glare vanished and his mouth went slack.

The tears that had been building in Wally's eyes spilled over, streaming down his cheeks, clearing small paths down his grimy face to his chin where they fell onto his sleeve and soaked into the fabric staining it. "You're invincible." Wally cried out, "You're my big brother! Brother's are always there-"

Bruce's hand fell to his side. Wally was gone, empty blackness where he had been.

Searing pain erupted in Bruce's chest and he bent forward, his forehead touching the ground before him. He hugged his arms to his chest as the pain ripped through his body; distracted by the agony Bruce didn't notice as the silhouettes around him merged into one large shadow. The shadow encircled Bruce spinning around him faster and faster until it exploded around him. The darkness of the shadow rolled through the glows in one giant wave pushing them all back in a great onslaught of explosive force. When the shadow and glows disappeared so did Bruce's pain. He untangled himself and pushed himself into a sitting position surveying the once again empty, barren land that was the heart of his mind.

Bruce closed his eyes taking a deep, shuttering breath before opening them again. A large, clawed paw appeared near him and Bruce watched as the muscles flexed as the creature lowered itself to the ground. Though the creature was all of his hate and anger Bruce couldn't help but be comforted by its presence, it had been his guardian his entire life, even before his parents were killed, it was with him, just a much less evil, decaying creature and more of a soft, friendly presence that resided in the back of his subconscious.

Pain gripped Bruce's chest again and he looked over the barren abyss to see the faint light of the glows growing in strength. The pain constricted, and Bruce grabbed his chest as breathing became difficult. Bruce squeezed his eyes shut against the pain. Something cool and hard lightly touched his forehead and the pain lessened slightly, Bruce opened his eyes and found that the red-black eyes of his guardian had faded showing their true color, a color that reflected the same that Bruce saw every time he looked into a mirror. Tenebrae looked searchingly into Bruce's eyes, the creature's warm breath rolling over him and ruffling his hair. Bruce lifted a hand from his chest to reach out to his guardian, Tenebrae made a soft sound akin to a low whine of a dog. Bruce followed his gaze and glanced at his palm, the skin there was stained red. Bruce looked to his chest to see that more lesions had appeared and were openly bleeding.

Bruce sighed, and clamped his eyes shut as another wave of pain rippled through his body. Tenebrae let out that same low whine and Bruce felt the creature shift around him. Bruce watched as the creature curled its body around him in a very protective manner. Tenebrae had arched its body around Bruce, its forepaws just to Bruce's left and its hind legs pulled up on his right. The creature stretched its right wing over them warding Bruce from sight; the long, dangerous tail was laid across Bruce's lap providing a comforting weight. The large creature rested its head on its paws, the bottom of its muzzle resting on Bruce's thigh, and the wing made tent pulled further in. Again the creature let out a low whine, the large blue eyes watching Bruce carefully. The creature's charge placed a hand on the top of its muzzle. Bruce glanced to the membranous wing where he could see the glows quickly descending upon their position.

The yellow-green light filtered through the wing as a dull light, but Bruce saw the moment it reached them.

The pain was blinding, there were no words to describe the agony that ripped through Bruce wave after murderous wave. The hand on Tenebrae's muzzle gripped one of the spikes as the pain electrocuted every last bit of Bruce, both physical and conscience.

* * *

It was amazing how all the heroes fit into the room surrounding the Dark Knight's bed, when they had been sitting there was plenty of room, but now that nearly all of them were standing and yelling over each other to be heard it was an impressive feat.

Most of the heroes were red faced, their voices hoarse from all the shouting, a few of them had tears in their eyes. The chaos was hard for all of them, especially since they were also attempting to awaken J'onn.

The martian was still in his natural form and it worried the others that he hadn't regained conscience yet. Barbra and Inza were the two doing most of the tending while the others divided their attention between J'onn and Batman.

Inza rested a hand on Barbra's shoulder, "Let me try again." The former Batgirl nodded and let go of the martian's shoulder.

Inza rested a hand on J'onn's head and muttered a short, unintelligible spell. The woman's eyes glowed and she held her position, Barbra and the others watching held their breath as the seconds ticked by. Suddenly Inza released her hold on the martian and stumbled back, Dick caught her and helped her right herself.

"Are you okay."

Inza nodded, "Yes," Inza looked to J'onn who was in the same position, "...come on... I know you felt me.." she whispered.

The orange eyes of the martian opened and the heroes breathed a weary sigh of relief. "Wh-what happened?"

"You attempted to—we think you attempted to reenter Bruce's mind," Barbra explained.

J'onn's gaze fell onto the still figure on the medical bed, "No.."

"Can you try again?" Everyone turned to Cass who stood over Bruce's bed, her hard eyes assessing the martian. "Can you do it? Can you get us back in there?"

"Cass, please!" Barbra hissed, it was obvious that they had all exhausted all of their energy, J'onn even more so than the others.

"What!?" the girl snapped rounding on Barbra, "I don't see you doing anything to help the situation so I may as well try if no else is going to! You haven't put forth any effort since we've regained conscience! At least I'm trying! All You've Done Is Tell Me No!"

"Cass.." Tim said attempting to calm his sister down.

"No!" Cass' glared roamed over the room, "It's like none of you care! With your lack of action you may as well have already Killed Him!"

"Don't You Dare Say That!" Barbra shouted back.

Cass' eyes became ablaze, "Of Course I Dare! You've Given Up!"

"I Have Not! I Just Have Faith He Will Pull Through!" Barbra screeched, her face reddening, a few stray tears falling from her eyes.

The batgirl's voice dropped low, it was a cold hiss, "I have more faith than you, but I know that not trying is just quickening his death. At least I can say I tried to help every second I could unlike you you bitch."

The room echoed with uncomfortable silence. Cass' last word had floored the room, and rang within everyone's ears.

The silence was broken by a whimpered, horrified word.

The occupants turned to the source of the sound and found themselves looking at the Flash. Zatanna hurried forward and pulled back the Speedster's mask, Wally's eyes were still closed, but they could all see the movement beneath his lids.

"No." It was a single word, but the inflected emotion gnawed at the heroes' hearts. "No." Wally began to shake slightly, his eyelashes fluttering even more. Then stillness. Green eyes snapped opened, the pupils dilating, the eyes swept the room taking in each of the heroes. Wally then bent forward, falling out of the chair and onto his knees where he began to shake violently. Donna and Dick took Zatanna's position by the Speedster's side.

"Wally?" Dick asked, a hand on his friend's shoulder in a comforting manner.

Wally looked up, his appearance flooding the others. The greens were red-rimmed, and bloodshot, hot tears streaming down Wally's cheeks. "He's... he's-"

It was a scream, a bloodcurdling scream much like the ones Cass had emitted, the difference was the pain and agony reflected in the sound. Cass' screams had been terrible, but the scream that echoed in the room and throughout the Watch Tower was much more horrifying. Heroes throughout the tower stopped and shivered, sharing distraught looks with each other, none of them having ever heard such a horrible sound, it gnawed at ears, ripped through hearts, burned down spines, forced hair on end, and seared down nerves into every last cell.

Those in the presence of the source turned to the medical bed where Bruce sat up ram-rod straight, his eyes open and red; blood pouring from his open, infected lesions. His mouth was wide, tongue flat, and throat dry as his body shook, the sound he was emitting tearing through every fiber of his being. The machines that monitored him were beeping rapidly, warnings of too-high vitals.

The scream seemed to last enos before ending abruptly. Bruce's eyes fluttered close and he fell back to the bed, unmoving. The machine that monitored his heart rate beeped once then sounded one long, unending tone.

_**To be continued…**_

**Note: **The next chapter will most likely be the last installment. Thank you very much for sticking this through.

**-Jopo :)**


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